Social entreprenuer Mathabatha Malete has transformed his own experience of uncertainty and limited guidance into a structured platform of opportunity for young people across communities.
What began as a personal struggle to navigate life after school has evolved into the Destiny Achieve Foundation (DAF), a mentorship initiative designed to ensure that learners are not left directionless at one of the most critical transitions of their lives.
Malete says he witnessed how many talented learners fail to reach their potential, not because of a lack of ability, but because they lack access to information, exposure to opportunities and consistent guidance.
He tells the Saturday Star that this reality shaped his decision to build a programme focused on creating pathways, not just possibilities.
“The education system equips learners with academic knowledge, but it often does not equip them with the tools to navigate life beyond the classroom,” Malete said.
“Many young people complete matric having worked hard, but without a clear understanding of how to make informed decisions about their future, how to access opportunities, or how to structure their lives after school. I created this programme because I did not want learners to feel abandoned at the very moment when guidance matters most.”
Through the platform learners receive structured, practical preparation that goes beyond motivation.
The programme also supports them in understanding post-school pathways, including higher education, technical and vocational education and training, skills development programmes, entrepreneurship and entry into the world of work.
He also explains that strong emphasis is placed on early planning, informed subject choices, realistic goal-setting and aligning personal strengths with long-term opportunities.
“Our approach is rooted in intentional planning and informed decision-making,” Malete explained.
“We do not believe in rushed choices driven by fear or pressure. Learners need time, accurate information and structured guidance to properly understand their options so that their decisions are sustainable, realistic and aligned with who they are as individuals.”
Malete actively challenges the narrow definition of success that dominates many school environments.
“University should never be presented as the only measure of success. Rejection from one institution must not be treated as the end of a learner’s journey. We expose learners to TVET colleges, accredited skills programmes, learnerships, internships, entrepreneurship opportunities and structured gap years, and we teach them how these pathways can be used strategically as stepping stones rather than setbacks.”
Mentorship, Malete believes, is fundamental to building learner confidence and agency.
“Mentorship provides access, access to information, to lived experience and to honest guidance,” he said. “When learners feel seen, supported and heard, they begin to trust their own potential. Confidence grows when learners understand their options and feel empowered to make informed decisions rather than being forced into choices they do not understand.”
Asked about the impact of the programme he said the impact is clear, with learners gaining direction, accessing tertiary and skills opportunities, and refocusing their studies around real-world pathways.
“The real success is not only in placements or applications. It is in mindset transformation. It is seeing a learner move from confusion to confidence, from fear to purpose, and from uncertainty to action.”
Looking ahead, Malete plans to expand the foundation into more schools and under-resourced communities, supported by partnerships with educational institutions, professionals and organisations to strengthen mentorship networks and widen access to opportunity.
“The long-term vision is to build a sustainable mentorship ecosystem. One that ensures no learner completes school feeling unsupported, directionless or forgotten. If we can provide guidance, structure and access at the right time, we do not only change individual lives, we change communities.”
Saturday Star