From lived experience to representing Tanzanian youth on global platforms, Kapwani Kavenuke reflects on her leadership journey and why youth participation must go beyond tokenism to create lasting change.

Today, Kapwani serves as African UN Youth Delegate for Tanzania. The African UN Youth Delegate and Representative Program (AUNYD) is organized by the non-profit organization CRISP – Crisis Simulation for Peace e.V. and its partners, and trains and supports young leaders from six East African countries to build skills, regional networks, and a shared vision for youth representation at the United Nations General Assembly.

She is the founder of Mojafam Organization, a non-profit based in Mwanza, Tanzania, which empowers youth, women, and girls by advancing gender equality, economic empowerment and climate action.

She is particularly passionate about her advocacy on youth and gender inclusion in governance and sustainable development. 

The clarity with which she speaks about justice, equality, and participation, she says, was forged through self-realization, resilience, and the difficult work of unlearning silence.

Representing Youth, Responsibly

As African UN Youth Delegate, Kapwani’s work is guided by three mandates: meaningful youth engagement, youth peace and security, and youth unemployment. These priorities are not abstract. They are rooted in research conducted across East Africa, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, and South Sudan.

“Not every young person can sit in those global spaces, so as a representative it’s my role to bridge the gap,” she explains. “Creating platforms to inform, consult, and amplify information across.”

Her approach begins with understanding root causes. Research identified imposter syndrome, limited access to information, and lack of resources as major barriers preventing youth from engaging in policy spaces.

“Nothing for us, without us,” she says firmly.

For Kapwani, meaningful participation goes beyond presence. “It’s not just about being invited to the table. It’s about being heard, trusted, and engaged as equal partners.”

That means co-designing policies, building accountability mechanisms, compensating youth for their contributions, and investing in capacity-building so engagement is confident and informed.

After five years of volunteering with UNICEF and other organizations, Kapwani reached back to her own community.

“It wasn’t about looking for another job. It was about what I could do for my community after all the knowledge and experiences I had gained.”

That reflection led to the founding of Mojafam Organization—moja fam, meaning one family.

“By virtue of being human, we all deserve to live in dignity,” she explains. With the motto We are all Human, Mojafam focuses on gender equality (SDG 5), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), and climate action (SDG 13).

These goals, she emphasises, are inseparable. “When women and girls are empowered, they are better able to access education, employment, and leadership opportunities, which strengthens economic growth and community resilience.”

Through different initiatives, Mojafam tackles youth unemployment and self-doubt by equipping young people with skills, mentorship, and confidence. Another initiative, links social responsibility with sustainability - redistributing clothing while reducing textile waste and creating green livelihoods.

What matters most to Kapwani is collective impact. “Seeing our volunteers go on to start their own initiatives brings us immense pride. The goal has always been collective impact rather than personal recognition.”

A realization that changed everything

For Kapwani, one of the most defining moments in her journey was a private reckoning.

“One of the things that came as a surprise, which really helped and humbled me, was realizing that I had experienced gender-based discrimination without even understanding it at the time,” she says.

Studying law and advocating for gender justice, she never imagined she herself would be navigating the very realities she now speaks about passionately. “It was deeply shocking, and I even felt embarrassed when I came to understand what I had gone through.”

She describes how ambition, particularly as a woman, often attracts resistance disguised as concern. Comments like “You will never get married,” “You can never keep a man,” or “You think you’re all that” became familiar refrains. 

During her time at university when she contested for Vice President of the student union, she knew she was capable of more. “Yet doubt crept in. Not from lack of ability, but from constant undermining.”

At the time, she was in a relationship, she says, with a partner who would not, she believes, support her ambitions. “He would have preferred that I sit in his shadow and did not appreciate my ambitions, but it took me a while to realize this.”

“There are so many women out there experiencing mental, psychological, and emotional violence without even realizing it,” she says. “They might be in denial.”

One statement from a close friend stayed with her: “I’m sorry you went through this, but because of what you experienced, you won’t judge.”

“That changed everything,” Kapwani reflects.

From survival to shared strength

Rather than withdrawing, Kapwani chose to open up. “Since then, my office doors have been open to listen to different cases,” she explains. Many of those who came forward were fellow students navigating similar realities, unsure how to name what they were experiencing.

She believes that empowerment cannot be generic. “Empowerment sessions need to be tailored to the specific needs of individuals rather than assuming a one-size-fits-all approach.” 

Long before she entered global policy spaces, she learned that age does not determine impact.

At 13, she served as a UNICEF climate ambassador, the youngest in the room. “I remember asking myself, who would listen to a 13-year-old, or even care about what I had to say?” she recalls.

Instead of shrinking, she acted. Focused on waste management, she worked to establish environmental clubs and promote accountability around conservation. Years later, returning to her alma mater and hometown, she saw those values still alive.

“That’s when I knew,” she says. “I didn’t just want to talk about the things I wanted to see change. I wanted to be part of the process for that change.”

That conviction would later guide her decision to found Mojafam Organization and to step into youth representation at the global level.

Kapwani did not always see storytelling as powerful. She discovered its impact during her training as an African UN Youth Delegate.

“Once I started to share my story, I became relatable to many people and able to help others in similar journeys know that they are not alone,” she says.

“Storytelling is both grounding and liberating. It helps me remain humble, it keeps me connected to purpose, and it turns my personal experience into a mirror where others can see their own possibilities.”

Words put into action 

For Kapwani, leadership is not dominance. “Leadership to me is wisdom. It’s about servanthood and stewardship, not power or authority.”

She envisions an Africa rooted in Ubuntu – an African humanist philosophy that emphasises interconnectedness, shared humanity, and collective responsibility, which is often summarized by the expression: “I am because we are.”

With 70 per cent of the continent’s population under 30, she sees immense potential.

“The youth? We are the pulse of that vision—the heartbeat that will carry Africa from potential to prosperity.”

Success, in her eyes, is not measured by applause or platforms. “Advocacy must be accompanied by sustainable transformation—words put into action.”

Follow Africa Renewal’s Youth Series spotlighting young Africans who are driving change in their communities and beyond. Through their stories, we celebrate the energy, resilience, and resolve of these young people—and the powerful impact they are making. #youthinaction