Podcast Unlocks the "Dream Weavers" of Africa, Sharing Stories Youth Can Relate to

Photo Credit: Bridgespan - Supplied

Lekgetho Makola from South Africa joins fellow youths from Africa to talk about the promise of dreams on the Dreaming in Color podcast, sparking incredible conversations.

South Africa (26 June 2025) – In honour of Youth Month, the Dreaming in Color podcast shone its spotlight on four inspiring youths from Africa. Lekgetho Makola from Johannesburg (ep. 3) joins the conversation, as do Farah Mami (ep. 9) and Leila Ben-Gacem (ep. 2) from Tunisia, and Tom Osborn (ep. 4) from Kenya. The hope is to get youth talking and thinking about what it means to participate in the economies of Africa.

Lekgetho Makola’s episode covers his journey from rural Limpopo to studying overseas and returning home to make his mark. He is a visual storytelling activist and Chief Operating Officer of The Market Theatre Foundation in Johannesburg. His journey from “troubled” student to internationally respected arts leader is a motivating listen, showcasing how one can make their dreams a reality when they are intentional in their actions. Makola believes that art can be activism and that storytelling is how we spread wisdom.

“We need to tell stories like we’re sitting around a fire. With respect. With love. With dignity. That is how we create societies that can heal and young people who are innately proud of themselves,” he says.

Makola champions youth creativity, arguing that South Africa’s future lies in collaborative cultural work that is emotionally intelligent and economically sustainable.

Each of the podcast guests has one thing in common: they are not waiting for permission to make something happen. They are taking action!

In South Africa, the stats speak for themselves, but it’s how youth are challenging these that matters most.

South Africa’s youth unemployment rate remains one of the highest in the world at over 45%, meaning nearly one in every two young people is without work, even though more than 97% of them are literate. According to recruitment firm Pnet, 70% of South African graduates also struggle to find employment, revealing a troubling disconnect between talent and opportunity.

This story isn’t unique to South Africa; it echoes across the continent. The emotional toll of inaction is steep: research from the University of the Witwatersrand shows that more than a quarter of South African youth face depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges, with prolonged unemployment fuelling feelings of isolation, low self-worth and hopelessness. For a generation brimming with potential, that cost is far too high.

Young Africans are refusing to let their dreams be dictated by circumstance by sharing their stories; they are lighting the way for others. Like Makola, each guest on the Dreaming in Color podcast offers a fresh blueprint for recreating what’s possible. These Dream Weavers are not waiting to be chosen; they’re choosing themselves and their communities.

“These beautiful conversations remind us of the youthfulness and ambition of the continent – characteristics that position the African continent as a leader in the global conversation. The next generation of world leadership is here in Africa and what a wonderful future that promises.” – Darren Isom, one of the podcast’s host and a partner at The Bridgespan Group

Keen to dive into Dreaming in Color? You can find it on Apple and Spotify .