At 26, Lesego Chombo has already lived several lifetimes. Crowned Miss Botswana in 2022 and Miss World Africa in 2024, she’s also a practicing lawyer, founder of a charitable foundation, and now Botswana’s youngest-ever cabinet minister. Her remarkable journey reflects both her personal drive and Botswana’s changing political landscape.
Chombo’s rise to Minister of Youth and Gender surprised everyone – including herself. She hadn’t run for office but was selected by Botswana’s new President Duma Boko after his Umbrella for Democratic Change party ended 58 years of continuous rule by the Botswana Democratic Party.
“I was appointed by a president who’d never met me,” Chombo told the BBC. “My Miss World journey, which I thought was my destination, turned out to be just the platform that made me visible for this role.”
Her beauty pageant success gave her a national profile and allowed her to launch the Lesego Chombo Foundation, supporting rural youth. Now as one of only six women in Botswana’s 69-member parliament, she’s turning advocacy into action.
With 60% of Botswana’s population under 35 and youth unemployment at crisis levels, Chombo faces urgent challenges. The diamond-dependent economy needs diversification, and she’s determined to help young people create their own opportunities.
“We need to build an ecosystem where youth can thrive,” she explains. “Not just jobs, but real ownership and entrepreneurship.”
Her ministry is implementing youth quotas in government contracts while Botswana undergoes a major anti-corruption audit. “When we clean up the system, young entrepreneurs will have a fair chance,” she says.
Botswana has one of the world’s highest rates of gender-based violence, with 67% of women experiencing abuse. Chombo has faced criticism for her approach, but remains focused on solutions.
“It’s heartbreaking to know any woman could be next,” she admits. Her strategy combines stronger laws with education, pushing for gender equality lessons in schools. “Change starts with how we raise our children,” she says.
She also addresses men’s issues, advocating for mental health support and redefining masculinity. “True equality benefits everyone,” she insists.
Chombo credits her mother and Miss World’s Julia Morley as inspirations. “Women work ten times harder to succeed,” she notes. “I’m proof that young women can lead.”
For this rising star, success isn’t about titles but lasting impact. “I want to create changes that outlast me,” she says. As Botswana enters a new era, Chombo represents a generation ready to lead – and determined to make a difference.
