Meet Mapulane Phohleli — The Iron Lady of Lesotho Football

By the time you finish this story, you’ll believe in the unstoppable power of sport and the African women using it to change the world.

She’s been called many things: a force, a trailblazer, an indomitable warrior. But on the ground in Lesotho’s mountain-ringed villages, they know her simply as M’e Mapulane, the woman who builds dreams where no one else dares.

As the G100 Global Chair for Sports Empowerment and Championships: Mission Million, and the powerhouse behind Mot’seeo FC, Mapulane Phohleli is changing what’s possible for women and girls in sport, not just in her homeland, but across Africa.

And as she marks her 50th birthday, we profile this living legend to uncover the fire behind the footballing powerhouse whose journey began with heartbreak. After the loss of her husband, she stood at a crossroads – to break or to build.

“Losing my husband… I realised I had two choices: To be broken or to build. I chose the latter,” she says. “Sport, particularly football, became a sanctuary and a weapon, not of war, but of unity. Through it, I discovered my calling: to nurture potential, unify communities, and empower women. Football gave me a voice, and I now use it to echo the voices of many others.”

And echo, it has.

From dusty pitches in Lesotho to global policy platforms, her voice has carried. Today, it shapes conversations around access, equity, and visibility for women in sport, especially those far from the limelight.

For Phohleli, true success has nothing to do with trophies.

“Success, to me, is when a girl from the remotest village of Lesotho or a bustling slum in Nairobi can dream, and live that dream, through sport. It’s not just medals or media coverage; it’s about opportunity, dignity, access, and inclusion.”

Raised in a home anchored in discipline, she credits her upbringing in the Kingdom of Lesotho for shaping her resilience and her fierce sense of purpose.

“Lesotho raised me like a baby soldier. My father, a former police officer and army man, instilled discipline and courage.”

“Growing up in a landlocked kingdom taught me to swim against the current, quite literally, I am a self-taught swimmer and now teach others with hydrophobia.”

What’s standing in the way of progress for women in African sport?

“Systemic underfunding, cultural biases, and the underrepresentation of women in decision-making roles,” she says. “One of the primary challenges facing women in Africa today is the lack of support, whether from their families, communities, or national leadership.”

“Many girls are withdrawn from sports at puberty due to societal expectations and norms. Female athletes often receive minimal media coverage and limited commercial backing.”

But she isn’t waiting for change. She’s building it.

“We need intentional policy, quotas for women in leadership, gender-sensitive infrastructure, and grassroots funding,” she insists.

Through Mot’seeo FC, Phohleli is rewriting the rules. The club isn’t just a space to train, it’s a movement wrapped in love and liberation.

“At Mot’seeo, we teach life skills, financial literacy, leadership, and self-esteem alongside athletic training. Our girls don’t just kick balls, they build businesses, lead communities, and champion causes.”

“Sport is the bridge – development is the destination.”

And the stories that emerge from this sacred ground are nothing short of extraordinary.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, Her Majesty the Queen of the Kingdom of Lesotho, our patron, identified a family in need. Mot’seeo FC members contributed everything they had, rallied friends, and built a house for the family.”

“In 2023, on World Cancer Day, we fed 20,000 children all over Lesotho in one day. That’s the power of our community.”

Phohleli doesn’t just build athletes, she builds entrepreneurs.

“Sport teaches strategy, discipline, risk, and resilience, the very DNA of entrepreneurship,” she says. “At Mot’seeo, we run a ‘Boots to Business’ program, helping girls turn their passion into profit. Not a handout but a hand up.”

Her work stretches across countries and causes. And when asked who inspires her, she doesn’t hesitate:

“I admire Rwanda for its gender representation in leadership, which trickles into sports. 

Scandinavian countries are trailblazers. But closer to home, I draw immense inspiration from South African women in sport, especially initiatives like gsport4girls.”

“gsport is revolutionary. It’s more than media; it’s a movement. It has validated countless female athletes and spotlighted stories otherwise buried.”

Phohleli is determined to build a world where women lead boldly, and girls rise, no matter where they start.

“Mentorship, exposure, funding, and safe spaces,” she says. “We must invest in leadership clinics, send girls to global forums, and let them sit at tables of power. But most importantly, we must believe in them, loudly, consistently, and without condition.”

And her dream?

“A legacy of lifted lives and lit paths. I want generations to say: ‘Because she dared, I did too.’ I hope to leave behind a global sisterhood of empowered women and children who used sport not just to win games — but to change the world.”

Mapulane Phohleli isn’t just changing lives. She’s changing systems, mindsets, and possibilities. From the heights of the Maloti mountains to the global arena, her mission is clear: to make sure no girl is ever left on the sidelines.

As gsport Founder and G100 Global Advisor, Kass Naidoo reflects: “Women like Mapulane show us what’s possible when courage meets purpose.”

“She reminds us why Africa matters, not just as a place of heritage, but as a wellspring of leadership, talent, and vision. On this Africa Day, we salute her and all the women changing the game for good.”

---

Main Photo Caption: Mot’seeo FC powerhouse and G100 Global Chair for Sports Empowerment and Championships: Mission Million, Mapulane Phohleli is called many things: a force, a trailblazer, an indomitable warrior, and in Lesotho’s mountain-ringed villages, the woman who builds dreams where no-one else dares. All Photo: Supplied

Photo 2 Caption: “Losing my husband… I realised I had two choices: To be broken or to build. I chose football as a weapon of unity.”

Photo 3 Caption: Marking her 50th birthday, Phohleli says: “Football gave me a voice, and I now use it to echo the voices of many others.”