KAENE Disepo is a Youth Coordinator and Mindset Change Director at the Office of the President, whose life mission is to shift narratives, inspire bold dreams, and champion youth-led change. Through his work, the brilliant 31-year-old has helped young and old alike reimagine what’s possible, fostering a new generation of leaders who believe in action over titles and purpose over position.
From humble beginnings to global recognition, Disepo’s story is proof that mindset is everything…
Describe your job to a five-year-old child?
I help young people believe in themselves and their ideas. If they have a dream – whether it’s to open a business, build a robot, become president, or change their village – I work with important people, like leaders in government and communities, to make sure that dream has a real chance to grow.
Think of me as the guy who helps build invisible bridges between where young people are now and where they want to go. And when those bridges don’t exist, I help create them from scratch.
Some days I’m helping students start businesses, other days I’m in meetings with national leaders making sure they listen to young voices. Either way, I’m always trying to make Botswana a place where every child can dream boldly, and actually do something about it!
Great explanation! You’re known for mindset shift strategies – what’s one belief you’ve had to personally unlearn?
That leadership belongs to the old, and impact comes only with a title. At one point in my life, I was living in a modest ‘four-in-one’ room: my bedroom, kitchen, living room and bathroom all in one space. I internalised the belief that real impact was reserved for the older, the titled, the ‘important’.
But life had other plans. At 18, amidst personal upheaval, I earned Botswana’s Top Achievers’ Scholarship, securing the second-best results nationally. That moment wasn’t just academic, it was a revelation: potential isn’t confined by circumstance.
Studying at the London School of Economics and Political Science expanded my worldview and reinforced a core truth: leadership is about action, not age. That mindset shift changed everything. It led me to turn down job offers abroad and return home to start ‘Inspired Horizons Association’, which birthed the ‘Young Mothers Support Network,’ challenging the idea that young mothers are society’s shame, instead of women with dignity, strength, and untapped potential.
In the middle of Covid-19, I launched Debating Botswana through my other social enterprise, ‘Change Africa’, to revive civic dialogue, critical thinking, and public expression – especially in a system that too often rewards silence over bold ideas.
Unlearning that mindset was the beginning of everything, because I realised leadership isn’t something you wait for; it’s something you become, one decision at a time.
What’s your go-to song when you need a motivation boost?
‘Try’ by Colbie Caillat. It’s not your typical power anthem; it’s gentler, but powerful in a different way. It reminds me that I don’t have to perform for acceptance or edit myself to fit expectations. In a world that often tells young leaders to shrink, tone it down, or wait their turn, this song is a breath of fresh air. It helps me re-center, to lead from a place of truth, not perfection. Sometimes, the most revolutionary thing you can do is show up as yourself.
If renewable energy were a person, how would you describe its personality?
Renewable energy would be that underrated genius: humble, strategic, and always thinking five steps ahead. They don’t make noise, but they shift the entire room with quiet confidence. They’re resourceful, low-maintenance, and allergic to waste; the type to turn a dusty rooftop into a power station.
To me, they represent the kind of leadership Africa needs right now: efficient, forward-thinking, and deeply aligned with sustainability and justice. That’s why I’ve committed to this space. After hosting Botswana’s first National Renewable Energy Dialogue last November – officiated by the Vice President – I am now working on establishing the Change Africa Renewable Energy (CARE) Institute.
We’re committed to building a platform to equip young Africans with the knowledge and skills to lead the clean energy transition, co-designing youth-led renewable energy projects that solve real, local problems and influencing policy spaces to ensure young people aren’t just being heard, they’re leading the charge!
Imagine you’re invited to speak at your dream event. Where is it, and who’s in the front row?
It would be at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, during a special summit on ‘Redefining African Leadership for the Next 50 Years.’ The moment would be about more than a speech; it would be a disruption of old narratives. A declaration that African youth are no longer future leaders: we are current architects of progress, policy, and possibility.
In the front row would be a delegation of young community leaders from rural Africa, the President of Botswana (because home must always be where the vision is anchored), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Oprah Winfrey for their global poise and fearless intellect, my parents, and one empty seat – symbolic, for every young person who was silenced before they ever had the chance to speak!
What was little Kaene like at primary school: shy, curious, or the class prefect?
Little Kaene was fearlessly optimistic, even when the world didn’t always make space for that light. I was often shy, so shy that I missed opportunities simply because I didn’t raise my hand. And like many kids who think a little differently, I was bullied for being ‘too quiet’ or ‘too serious.’
How did you survive?
I found refuge in books, in imagination, and in a few close friends who saw me for who I was. I wasn’t the class prefect; I was the one writing future speeches in my mind while everyone else played outside. Those silent moments were not weakness, they were seeds!
If Botswana could run on one form of energy from your childhood, what would it be: marbles, toy cars, or sugar rush?
Sugar rush, definitely! Back then, all it took was a warm fat cake and some sweet-aid to turn us into mini rockets. We didn’t walk – we blasted through breaktime like we were powered by lightning! That energy reminds me of the power I still see in young Batswana today — once given space, they move with urgency and belief.
Who inspires your leadership style the most, and what’s one lesson you’ve borrowed from them?
Two women: my mother, Keitumetse Disepo, and Oprah Winfrey. My mother has been a teacher all my life — and a quiet force in every community she touched. No title, just consistent service. From her, I inherited my commitment to community-rooted leadership.
From Oprah, I’ve learned the value of strategic visibility; how to use influence, storytelling, and networks to mobilise resources. She leads with emotional intelligence but always with purpose. Together, they’ve shaped my leadership – grounded in people, driven by purpose, executed with strategy.
If you had to lead a youth camp in the wild, what 3 things would you take with you — and, no, you can’t say Wi-Fi.
A big pot of mokwetjepe and madombi, because there’s no nation-building on an empty stomach. A multi-purpose toolkit: not just for survival, but to spark ideas around entrepreneurship. And a recording device: to document local brilliance and turn it into real, replicable business models.
What’s your ‘happy place’ when you need to reset and recharge?
Maun, where my father is from. Sitting under the shade, just listening to him speak; he reminds me that there’s more to life than titles or riches – there’s the humanity of servitude. In that stillness, I remember why I do what I do and who I do it for.
List five things people don’t know about you.
- I love languages – especially French – and I often pretend to know more than I actually do. If you speak too fast, just know I’m smiling and hoping context saves me.
- I value a healthy work-social balance. Some of my best ideas come from deep conversations with friends and family around a braai, not boardrooms.
- After most speeches, I obsess over what I should have said. I’ll be replaying moments in my head long after the applause.
- I’m introverted by nature – surprising, considering how public my work is. But I recharge in silence and solitude, not crowds.
- I dream of shaping a continental Youth in Leadership Advocacy Agenda, one that elevates youth voices into real seats of power, not just panels and photo ops.
Finish this sentence: The future of Botswana’s youth is……
…contributing to the economy in the most unconventional ways; through creativity, culture, and even the things they were once criticised for. It’s a Botswana that doesn’t gatekeep success, it multiplies it, across borders, classrooms and communities.
And on that inspirational note, Thank God It’s Friday, how’s your weekend shaping up?
I just got back from London this week. It was a much-needed breather and a great reminder of how much creative energy comes from simply stepping away for a moment. This weekend, I’m catching up on some work while the inspiration is still fresh – a few exciting projects need attention. But I’m also making space for rest: a proper pizza and movie night with the bestie is definitely on the cards. Sometimes the best strategy sessions happen between slices!
