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Kelo Kubu

by | Oct 13, 2025 | The Guiding Woman 2025

Kelo Kubu is a trailblazer in youth-led community development, serving as country director of CorpsAfrica South Africa. She leads a programme that places young graduates in rural communities for a year of service, using Human-Centered Design to co-create solutions that address pressing local challenges — from food security and digital skills to water access and income-generating projects. “Our work is about empowering communities and the young people who serve them,” she says. “Change happens when people are trusted to lead alongside those they support.” Early in her career, Kelo worked with foundations across the SADC region, witnessing firsthand the systemic challenges that rural communities face. This inspired her to combine creativity, entrepreneurship, and social impact to design initiatives that are both sustainable and community-driven. Her achievements include co-founding the Mandela Poster Project, which showcased 95 posters celebrating Nelson Mandela’s legacy worldwide, and bringing TEDx to her region for over 16 years, sharing South African ideas with the world. A passionate advocate for youth and rural empowerment, Kelo Kubu’s commitment to civic engagement, social innovation, and grassroots transformation is unwavering. Guided by the principle “Let go of what you can’t control. Focus on what you can change,” she inspires both young leaders and the communities they serve.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA),  University of KwaZulu-Natal (University of Natal)
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (PGDBA), University of KwaZulu-Natal ((University of Natal)

ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Motherhood – being a mother to my beautiful daughter, Moon.
  • 16 Years of TEDx – bringing TEDx to my part of the world and consistently sharing South African ideas with the world for the past 15 years.
  • Mandela Poster Project – as a founding member of the project, it was humbling to witness the support of the global design community and the international recognition of the exhibition of 95 posters as it travelled across the world.
  • CorpsAfrica/SA – establishing CorpsAfrica in South Africa.