For 29 years, Mr. Motshwari Kitso has been a powerful force in shaping SOS Children’s Villages Botswana. 

His journey began with a simple desire, to specialise in child welfare and dedicate his life to the wellbeing of children and young people. What started as professional interest grew into a commitment fuelled by the joy of seeing a child grow into their full potential, and a young person ready to take on the world. This transformation is his constant source of inspiration, the reason he remained so deeply rooted in his work for nearly three decades.

Mr Kitso witnessed infants grow into teenagers, pursue their education and eventually become respected members of their communities. The intriguing part is that he remembers every child he supported. Many of the children and young people who grew up with under his care still regard him as a father figure, no matter how long they have been living independently. He has attended countless graduations, weddings, and, sadly, the farewells of young people who were once part of the care system. This is a testament to the long-lasting relationships that SOS Children’s Villages strives to build with children and young people without, or at risk of losing parental care.

Throughout his time as a National Director, he led with a calm and an open-door approach that made colleagues feel valued and heard. He believed that people do their best when they are trusted, when their voices matter, and when they are given room to grow. Trust and accountability guided every decision he took, shaping his leadership and the culture he nurtured around him. His ability to listen attentively, respond thoughtfully and create a safe space for meaningful conversation makes him not just a leader, but a mentor who walked alongside his team. This rightfully earned him a Botswana’s top 100 most influential CEO’s award in 2025.

Among the many milestones of his career, he is especially proud of the role he played in transforming the way SOS Children’s Villages Botswana approaches care. He led the organization through the first de-institutionalisation pilot long before it became a global priority helping to shift mindsets and community connections. His contributions helped shape both national and regional care reforms, turning SOS Children’s Villages into a trusted child centric organization.

One of his most remarkable achievements was the establishment of the Serowe village, the first locally funded village in Eastern, South African Cluster. This milestone reflected not only his ability to mobilize resources, but also the trust he earned from communities and partners who believed in the vision he carried.

Mr. Kitso strengthened programmes in ways that continue to benefit children and young people today. He championed safe programming, ensuring the right staff were in place and worked tirelessly to secure the resources needed to provide quality care. Under his guidance, the family strengthening programme became a powerful project for empowering families and communities to better support their children. Integration and reintegration efforts grew stronger, helping children remain connected to their roots and enabling many to return home when it was safe and appropriate. His commitment to education, employability and transition meant that young people leaving SOS care were not stepping into the world unprepared, they were equipped with skills, and hope for their futures.

Partnerships flourished under his leadership, each one contributing something meaningful to the organization. These collaborations helped expand impact and opened new pathways for children and young people. He speaks of them with gratitude, recognising how each one made it possible to reach more families and provide more support. He recalls with pride how the Oral Health Programme touched the lives of more than 64,000 individuals, becoming one of the country’s most impactful community-based projects.

His journey was not without challenges. At times, securing consistent funding felt almost impossible, especially in the difficult years following the COVID-19 pandemic. Recruiting active donors who were ready to support proved demanding, and financial pressures required creativity and robust efforts. Yet he faced each challenge with resilience, refusing to let obstacles overshadow the mission. Instead, he used each difficulty as motivation to strengthen partnerships and continue advocating for the organization’s sustainability.

Mr. Kitso hopes the organization will remember the early beginnings of the de-institutionalisation journey and the courage it took to lead change before the rest of the federation shifted in the same direction. He hopes the Serowe project will stand not only as a building, but as a symbol of what is possible when communities come together for children. Above all, he hopes his colleagues will remember to care for themselves as much as they care for children. In his parting words, he encourages them to continue to be dedication while also practising self-care, understanding that this work, though meaningful, can be demanding.

As he reflects on the future, he dreams of seeing SOS Children’s Villages Botswana achieve full de-institutionalisation and lead the way on exploring other quality alternative care options. He hopes for a fully self sustainable organization, one that can support children, young people and families for generations to come.

His legacy is embedded into every child who found safety, every young person who found opportunity, every family who found strength and every colleague who felt supported enough to grow. For 29 years, he shaped not only an organization, but countless lives. As he steps into retirement, the impact of his leadership will continue to shine in the children who grew under his guidance. He intends to continue helping children and young people as he focuses on farming.