When mentoring becomes a superpower

Every evening, a family of chess players gathers around the chessboard—Shaleenah, her husband, and their son versing each other. It’s here, between queens and knights, that Shaleenah Marie recharges for what drives her: empowering young people to do things they never believed they could.

That a woman whose mind is shaped by the strategic discipline of chess and the creative depth of poetry would become one of the most influential voices in digital education across Africa may seem surprising at first. But it’s this unique blend of logic and imagination paired with her ability to lead with authenticity, kindness, and a steady stream of innovative ideas that truly sets her apart.

2019: The year everything changed

The death of her father in 2019 changed everything. While she was still grieving, COVID-19 struck. The world came to a halt. Students were left alone in front of their laptops. And Shaleenah made a decision: Instead of retreating, she built a system.

SheMent—a virtual mentoring program initially created to support isolated students—quickly became something much bigger. The numbers speak for themselves: a 100% pass rate, full employment for all participants. But for Shaleenah, those numbers mean something else: each one a life story that took a new turn.

“What started as a response to a crisis became a movement,” she says today.

Making the invisible visible

Even as a child in South Africa, she noticed how many young people were left behind—not due to a lack of talent, but a lack of opportunity. Today, she leads programs designed to change exactly that: African Girls Can Code for UN Women, EmpowerHER, and talent development across Sub-Saharan Africa.

What drives you, Shaleenah?

“Education in technology enables women to break cycles of poverty and inequality,” Shaleenah says. For her, it’s not about ideology—it’s about impact:

“When you teach women digital skills, you don’t just empower individuals. You strengthen entire communities.”

Her philosophy is simple: Every person carries untapped potential within them. During the pandemic, she developed three guiding principles:

– Embrace uncertainty: View crisis as a spark for innovation.

– Harness collective power: Real impact is built through collaboration.

– Turn obstacles into opportunities: Use difficult moments as catalysts for change.

Between trophies and poetry

The awards keep coming: Mentor of the Year 2025, one of the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Tech, and the Inclusive Leader Award for the Africa & Middle East Gender Mainstreaming Awards. Beyond the conference rooms, Shaleenah writes poetry, plays chess and loves being creative. “Those quiet moments,” she says of her time alone, “help me reflect and think of new innovative ideas.”

Her biggest dream? To ignite the world’s largest mentorship movement where volunteer mentors share their skills, experience, and knowledge to empower others and drive meaningful societal change.

The future is already here

What would she tell her younger self?

“You don’t need permission to lead. Leadership is not a title, it’s an attitude.”

Shaleenah Marie doesn’t change the world with grand gestures, but through steady, systematic work. Her revolution happens in classrooms, in mentoring sessions, in programs that help young people see what’s possible.

And when her family gathers once again at the chessboard in the evening, Shaleenah may be thinking of all the moves she’s made. Each one deliberate, each with a purpose: to show others that they, too, belong in the game.

“The power is already within you.”

Sometimes, that’s all it takes to change everything.