The STEM education specialist behind Renewable Rangers, a digital educational game designed for children aged 4 to 6, has been selected as one of South Africa’s Forty Under 40 leaders for 2025 in the Education category.

Dr Moleboheng Mokhele-Ramulumo is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education and a member of the Research Unit for Self-Directed Learning at the North-West University (NWU). The official Forty Under 40 awards ceremony will be held on 18 October 2025 at the Marriott Hotel in Johannesburg.

The Forty Under 40 Awards aim to celebrate 40 South African leaders under the age of 40 who demonstrate impact through leadership and innovation.

“Being recognised as one of South Africa’s Forty Under 40 most influential and trailblazing young South Africans is both deeply humbling and incredibly affirming,” says Dr Mokhele-Ramulumu. “Personally, it is a moment of reflection, a reminder that the journey of balancing motherhood, scholarship and leadership has not been in vain.”

It also reflects her professional values. “Transformative education begins with the courage to lead with heart, to innovate from lived experience, and to set your own path.”

A key project that contributed to her recognition is ReneWable Rangers, which introduces early learners to renewable energy through storytelling, play and cultural relevance. The project is disability-adaptive, multilingual and inspired by her personal experiences with her sons.

In ReneWable Rangers, my sons, Wavhudi and Rivhavhudi, are cast as the brave heroes who restore power to South Africa during a fictional load-shedding crisis,” she explains. “They travel with Dr Mummy Ranger, who is actually herself, discovering how each province uses renewable energy.”

The game has also been nominated for the 2025 NSTF-South32 Emerging Researcher Award.

Dr Mokhele-Ramulumo has some advice for other young professionals: “Set your own path, even if no one around you has walked it before. You don’t need permission to lead, to create or to dream boldly.”

“Build impact before applause. Focus on people before platforms. Invest in the lives of others, because legacy is not built in titles, but in transformation,” she says.

The awards event aims to inspire excellence in various industries and highlight initiatives that have generated tangible results, with honourees selected for their leadership, innovation and measurable achievements.

Dr Moleboheng Mokhele-Ramulumo, a 2025 Forty Under 40 South Africa finalist, a trailblazing and influential leader shaping the future of education.