Pont’o T’oeunyane has over nine years of professional experience in social service and research, focusing on child protection services, social policy development and implementation, orphans and vulnerable children, program management, and community development program coordination and administration. Currently, Pont’o is a senior child welfare officer at the Lesotho Ministry of Social Development, where she previously served as the operations director and community development manager. She is responsible for designing, implementing, and monitoring programs aimed at empowering vulnerable groups. The programs reduce poverty and promote sustainable livelihoods by engaging the beneficiaries in community development projects. Pont’o also started a volunteer project on climate change and environmental conservation, with a focus on land rehabilitation. In addition, she volunteers as a camp leader for annual youth and girls’ empowerment camps in Lesotho and South Africa. She holds a Master of Science in Sociology. In 2017, Pont’o was selected as one of Africa’s Brightest Young Minds by the Brightest Young Minds Organization in South Africa, a Young Global Changer by German G20 Presidency in Germany, an African Union Youth Volunteer by the African Union Commission, and a Young Leader Committed to Transforming Africa by the Young African Leadership Initiative Southern Africa Regional Leadership Center. She has represented Lesotho in a number of forums such as, the Community of Practice of Cash Transfers in Africa held in Tanzania, Think 20 Summit Global Solutions by Global Solutions International in Germany, Regional Workshop in Civic Education on Elections and Governance by the Mandela Institute for Development Studies in South Africa, World Festival for Youth and Students in Russia, and Amandla Eastern and Southern Africa Peace Fellowship by the World Peace Initiative Foundation in Kenya. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, she plans to expand her work in community development and environmental conservation across all the districts of Lesotho.
