Wits MSc student and Changer-maker Named Among M&G’s 200 Young South Africans
- FHS Communications
Wits MSc candidate and dentist, Dr. Oarabile Mochwanaesi (25), has recently been named in the 2025 Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans
for the work of his youth development and education program, that have benefited many high school learners across the country.
has been nominated for the Young Leaders Awards under the Civil Society category by Free SA, an organisation that celebrates young South Africans who are driving positive change.
Dr. Mochwanaesi, who was also nominated earlier in the year for a Civil Society Young Leaders Award by Free SA, has been driving change since 2018 through his non-profit organisation, the Mochwanaesi Foundation, which he founded during his first year of university.
The Foundation empowers disadvantaged, academically talented learners through tutoring, mentorship, career guidance and leadership development. “Our approach is effective because it is personalised, every learner has an individual academic plan, and our volunteers are trained to inspire, not just instruct,” he explains.
Although the success of these programs can be measured in tangible academic achievements like distinctions earned and university admissions secured, he says “the intangible growth of learners’ confidence, leadership skills, and ability to inspire others,” that create a culture of excellence beyond academics.
Beyond his non-profit work, Mochwanaesi has also made a significant mark as a community dentist, where he says patients’ perspectives are overlooked, therefore leading to unmet needs of the services provided. This has led to the focus of his MSc in Community Dentistry research at Wits being centred around why patients are not prioritising preventive dental care. “South Africa faces a high burden of untreated dental caries, periodontal disease, and oral cancers, often worsened by late presentation due to limited access and low uptake of preventive services,” he explains.
He says clinical practice, research, and advocacy are interconnected pillars of impact. Research generates evidence to inform policy and improve dental service delivery to underserved areas. “This integrated approach ensures that solutions are both evidence-based and grounded in real community needs,” adding that his time at the Wits Faculty of Health Sciences has “deepened my understanding of the social determinants of health.
He has also served as lead dentist on a mobile dental unit, taking oral healthcare services directly into underserved communities, including schools and mining towns. He saw then that “Accessibility is not just about physical proximity; it’s about building trust, relevance and understanding within the community”.
Reflecting on his journey, Mochwanaesi says his late parents, Christina and Ernest Mochwanaesi, who instilled in him the value of education and service. Today he is recognised for applying these values for the betterment of his community - a role that he says he sees in the agility of other young South Africans. “Our fresh perspective and adaptability position us as catalysts for systemic change, he adds.