GEM Institute
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Reshaping thinking · Designing solutions

Promoting innovation and development. Through partnering with marginalised communities.

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The work, plainly

We are a community-based social enterprise NGO and innovation impact hub working in partnership with youth and women — across policy, advocacy, innovation, enterprise development and community building.

Impact
10+
A decade on the ground.

Real reach, in communities — not in theory.

50,000+
Beneficiaries
60+
Schools
20+
Enterprise programs
4,000+
Fruit trees planted
Who We Are

A hub built with the community, not for it.

Mission

A community-based social enterprise NGO and innovation impact hub working in partnership with youth and women — across policy, advocacy, innovation, enterprise development and community building.

Vision

To be a leading social entrepreneurship and innovation hub that improves the lives of youth, rural communities and schools as centres of excellence and models of peace.

What drives us

Building community; fostering transformative development; nurturing creative industry ecosystems; supporting agripreneurship and cottage industries; and growing innovation through education and training.

The Tribe
Portrait of Realeboha Qoola

Realeboha Qoola

Project Manager

Portrait of Matauli Mokete

Matauli Mokete

Lead Heritage, Culture & Creative

Portrait of Tsepang Khau

Tsepang Khau

Research & Resource Mobilization

Portrait of Mpho Letima

Mpho Letima

Founder & Executive Director

What We Do

Four ways we turn potential into power.

Programmes and services, working together — the engine behind the numbers above.

A young Mosotho seamstress shows a finished Seshoeshoe garment to an older businesswoman wrapped in a Basotho blanket, inside her stone-walled sewing workshop.
№ 01 · Pillar

Social Enterprise & Economic Development

Youth enterprise development, mentorship, coaching, incubation and acceleration.

Flagship initiatives
  • Mentorship
  • Incubation
  • Coaching
A young Mosotho woman speaks, hand raised, seated in a circle of male elders wearing Basotho blankets and mokorotlo hats beside a stone kraal, mountains behind.
№ 02 · Pillar

Gender, Peace & Leadership

Rights-based systems innovation and social justice for women and youth.

Flagship initiatives
  • ICT4Education
  • Inclusive Leadership
  • Creative & Cultural Industries
  • Climate Action
Three Basotho schoolgirls in green jerseys build with a robotics kit around a laptop in an earthy-walled classroom.
№ 03 · Pillar

Innovation, Science & Technology

I-STEAM: creative and cultural entrepreneurship against women & youth unemployment.

Flagship initiatives
  • Film & Documentary Production
  • Commissioned Productions
  • Community Content Creation
  • Digital Literacy
  • AI Literacy
  • AI Research
A young field researcher with a tablet interviews an elderly woman wrapped in a blue Basotho blanket outside a stone rondavel in morning light.
№ 04 · Pillar

Research, Advocacy & Policy

National, regional and global policy work aligned to the SDGs and AU Agenda 2063.

Flagship initiatives
  • Research Design & Implementation
  • Monitoring & Evaluation
  • Learning Facilitation
  • Innovation Assessments
Our Work

The proof, project by project.

№ 1 · Climate × Youth ACT4Change
№ 1 · Climate × Youth

ACT4Change

Youth leading climate action and innovation spaces across Lesotho.

Visit page →
№ 2 · Fashion × Film Mokhabebe
№ 2 · Fashion × Film

Mokhabebe

Local fashion and film labs platforming Basotho creatives.

Visit page →
№ 3 · Sci-fi × Film festival Kingdom in the Sky
№ 3 · Sci-fi × Film festival

Kingdom in the Sky

A sci-fi film festival celebrating homegrown storytelling.

Visit page →
№ 4 · Coding × Digital skills Girls Tech Talk
№ 4 · Coding × Digital skills

Girls Tech Talk

Coding and digital skills programmes for young people.

Visit page →
№ 5 · Cinema × Streaming BonFaya
№ 5 · Cinema × Streaming

BonFaya

A local movies streaming platform built for the Basotho market.

Visit page →
№ 6 · Heritage × Storytelling Li Eme Ka Lekoa
№ 6 · Heritage × Storytelling

Li Eme Ka Lekoa

Community storytelling and heritage preservation.

Visit page →
Track Record

Since 2015, to date.

Hover a marker — tap on mobile — for the engagement behind it.

201620182020202220242026
Private SectorGoogleGrant2016
Private SectorSAPAfrica Code Week · Grant2016
Government of LesothoLesotho National Commission for UNESCOGrants2016
International Bilateral PartnershipsAmerican EmbassyPartner · Consultancy · Grant2016 – Ongoing
Civil Society PartnershipLSMTAPartnership2016 – Ongoing
UN AgenciesUNESCOBMZ · Grant2017 – 2018
Government of LesothoDepartment of Arts and CulturePartnership2017 – Ongoing
UN AgenciesUNDPGrant2021 – 2022
UN AgenciesUNDPConsultancy2021 – 2025
AwardsAfrican UnionAfrica Innovation Award2021
Private SectorEconet Telecom LesothoPartnership2021 – Ongoing
UN AgenciesUN WomenGrant2022 – 2025
AwardsITU-WSISCultural Diversity Award2022
Civil Society PartnershipChristian Council of LesothoPartnership2022 – 2025
International Bilateral PartnershipsSound ConnectsMusic in Africa · Goethe (EU) · Grant2023 – 2024
Government of LesothoCAFIIncubation Partner2023 – 2024
UN AgenciesWFPConsultancy2024 – 2025
Government of LesothoMinistry of Education and TrainingPartnership2025 – Ongoing
Government of LesothoCAFICapacity Building Grant2025 – Ongoing
AcademiaWits UniversityPartnership2025 – Ongoing
International Bilateral PartnershipsGoethe InstituteEU · Grant2026 – Ongoing
Friends of GEM
UNDP
UNESCO
European Union
UN Women
World Food Programme
Embassy of the United States of America
Econet Telecom Lesotho
Music In Africa
CAFI — Competitiveness and Financial Inclusion Project
Christian Council of Lesotho
Government of Lesotho
Goethe-Institut
Say Hi

There's a place for you here.

Looking for a programme, want to volunteer, or ready to partner? Start the conversation.

info@geminstitutels.org
+266 6331 7449