MIHLALI MPAHLWA - YOUNG, BOLD & BUILDING SOLUTIONS

At just 21 years old, Mihlali Mpahlwa from Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape is already shaping her future, and inspiring others to do the same. A mechanical engineering student, Mihlali joined Junior Achievement South Africa’s Social Equity Program (SEP) after hearing about it from her local councillor. Drawn by the opportunity to develop her leadership skills and learn how to help others, she jumped at the chance to participate in May 2025.

For her, the Social Equity Program was more than what was on paper - it was a platform to equip herself with new skills that would complement her academic background and her passion for technology. During the program, Mihlali and her team developed an innovative concept: an anti-drug app designed to support young people struggling with substance use. With Wi-Fi increasingly available in her township, they envisioned a tool that could provide lessons on how to stop using drugs and connect users directly to local rehab centres. The inspiration was deeply personal. Seeing so many peers in her community trapped in cycles of drug use sparked her determination to act.

Although her team didn’t place in the top three, Mihlali’s drive hasn’t wavered. After completing the Social Equity Program, Mihlali went on to pursue a computer science course, fuelling her growing interest in the digital world. She remains committed to pursuing the app and turning it into a real solution that can change lives in her community.

Her story embodies the heart of JA South Africa’s mission: to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. The Social Equity Program gave her not only business and leadership skills, but also the confidence to see herself as a problem-solver; someone who can use innovation to make a positive impact.

“I wanted to learn how to lead and how to help others,” she explains. “Now, I know I can.”

Through stories like Mihlali’s, Junior Achievement South Africa continues to prove that when young people are given opportunities, mentorship, and the right tools, they don’t just imagine change - they create it.