North-West University (NWU) alumnus Keatlegile Mabena has recently been selected as one of the Sunday World Unsung Heroes for 2022. He received an award under the category Youth in Education and Academia.

The Unsung Heroes Awards were launched in 2021, as a tribute to the many young people across the country who are not afraid to dream and act – even when the odds are stacked against them. Members of the public are invited to nominate young people under the age of 35 who work silently to do amazing things to make the world better in business, sports, arts and culture, government, community, and education.

“I feel very proud, honoured and excited about receiving this award. It’s great to see my hard work, passion and resilience being noticed,” says Keatlegile.

“The most fulfilling thing is to see myself being a vessel of light to those who think they cannot make it out of their dark spaces. Being a source of hope in hopeless situations and portraying a life of endless possibilities is my motto.”

He says this award will help him to build powerful connections and relationships that will help him to become bigger, better and greater.

This is his advice for other young people: “Continue to stretch yourself, explore opportunities, evolve and have a teachable spirit. You don’t know all there is to know. Allow yourself to learn and grow.”

More about Keatlegile

Keatlegile started his journey as a student at the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus in 2014, and he graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Social Sciences in population and development studies in 2017.

In 2018 he obtained his honours degree in population studies, also cum laude, followed by a master’s degree in population and sustainable development in 2020 with an overall average of 73%. 

“One of the greatest lessons I learned while being at the NWU is that people are always willing to help, but you must also do your part by proving to them that you are worthy of all the opportunities presented to you,” says Keatlegile.

“People can open doors for you, but you need to walk through those doors.”

Keatlegile is currently a lecturer in the department of Development Studies at Unisa, where he is also pursuing a PhD in development studies.

He describes himself as a philanthropist and a mentor to young people, and has written a book titled Breaking the Chains.

He is also a host of Unbecoming to Become, an annual event aiming to help young professionals to build a new set of positive habits to thrive and become the best version of themselves.

 NWU alumnus Keatlegile Mabena received a Sunday World Unsung Heroes award in the category Youth in Education and Academia.