11 Nov 2026

African governments and the private sector have been implored to recognise, finance and institutionalise volunteerism as a cornerstone of continental workforce development.
Deputy Permanent Secretary to the President Mr Omphile Sehurutshe made this plea on behalf of President Advocate Duma Boko during a four-day Africa Volunteerism Conference in Tlokweng on November 12.

Highlighting the grassroots foundation of continental development, Mr Sehurutshe asserted that true economic and social progress could not rely on government machinery alone but required the active and selfless commitment of citizens.

“Renaissance is not delivered by government alone. It is carried by people who make the choice to give and give freely from their hearts,” Mr Sehurutshe stated.
Drawing from President Boko’s recent State-of-the-Nation Address, he likened volunteerism to the Biblical mustard seed, explaining how small, localised acts of service compounded into generational transformation.

“Volunteerism is that mustard seed. One person, one hour of hands planted in a community, that small act grows branches, grows into a tree. You are not just leaders of tomorrow, but you are the builders of today,” he added.

Addressing a critical systemic gap across the continent, he stressed that unpaid community service must be officially counted, certified and respected as legitimate professional experience rather than being dismissed.

Detailing Botswana’s proactive measures, he highlighted key institutional investments, including the Ipelegeng Public Works Programme which had engaged nearly 27 000 young people, 79 per cent of whom were women, with over P820 million spent on labour since 2025 and P274 million directed specifically to trained youth. He also mentioned the Human Resources Development Fund, which placed 804 youth in private sector internships valued at P17.6 million.   

Founder of the International Volunteer Hub and national coordinator Ms Olerato Mathodi reflected on how the journey began in Botswana in 2019 out of a personal and collective concern to bridge the gap between youth potential and professional platforms.

Tracing the grassroots evolution of the initiative into a continental platform, Ms Mathodi highlighted tangible success stories, noting how volunteers from their network had successfully transitioned into prestigious international roles, such as serving with UN Women in New York and Bonn, or securing permanent professional placements with the Friedrich Foundation through the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations.

Adding a powerful local leadership perspective, Member of Parliament for Tlokweng Mr Phenyo Segokgo, shared his personal journey of grassroots community engagement, reflecting how starting as a volunteer at 15 shaped his trajectory into local governance, mayoral leadership, and parliamentary service.

Mr Segokgo emphasised that volunteering was a profound investment in human potential and community resilience rather than merely giving time, noting that continuous community service enabled him to champion support for autistic and intellectually disabled children before returning to legislative leadership.   

Expanding on the conference’s broader strategic goals, regional and international representatives underscored the urgency of structured, policy-driven volunteer frameworks across the continent.

Representing the African Union Commission’s Women, Gender and Youth Directorate, Mr Daniel Adugna highlighted that 2026 marked both the UN International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development and the 20th anniversary of the African Youth Charter, praising how volunteerism, whose service sustained communities across the continent, remained deeply embedded in traditional tenets of solidarity and Ubuntu.

Echoing that momentum, Dr Dabiwa Kamuruko, chief of the Volunteer Advisory Section at United Nations Volunteers praised Botswana’s exemplary leadership and announced that deliberations were expected to culminate in the historic adoption of the Gaborone Declaration of Volunteerism.

Furthermore, Good Deeds Day International chief executive officer, Mr Kaynan Rabino commended Africa’s inspiring volunteer spirit, noting that the continent’s volunteering rate surged well above the global average at 58.5 per cent.

The conference convened approximately 500 delegates representing 43 African nations including 125 international participants under the theme: Investing in the Force of Africa’s Renaissance: Safeguarding, Financing, and Recognising Volunteers. ENDS