​Most of us take it for granted. The feeling that tomorrow will look roughly like today. That you know who you are, where you belong, and that the ground beneath you is stable.

​That feeling has a name: ontological security. And for millions of people across Africa and the diaspora, it has been disrupted. By displacement, economic instability, colonial legacies, and the daily uncertainty that comes with living in systems that were never built with you in mind.

​In this lecture, Motsi Cheminye unpacks what ontological security means in plain terms, why it matters far beyond academia, and what it looks like when communities begin to restore it on their own terms.

​You will walk away understanding:

• ​What ontological security actually is (no jargon, no textbooks)

• ​Why it is central to understanding development, identity, and wellbeing across Africa and the diaspora

• ​How grassroots projects, like the ones Kwanda funds, contribute to restoring it in concrete, measurable ways

• ​What this framework reveals about the limits of traditional aid and charity models

​This lecture is for you if:

• ​You are a Kwanda villager who wants to understand the deeper "why" behind the projects we fund

• ​You work in international development, philanthropy, or social enterprise and want a fresh lens

• ​You are part of the African diaspora thinking about identity, belonging, and what "home" means

• ​You are simply curious about the intersection of psychology, community, and real-world impact

​No prior knowledge of ontological security is required. Motsi will build from the ground up.

​Speaker Bio

​Motsi Chiminye

​Motsi is a storyteller, LSE graduate in International Development, and works at Cannes Lions. She hosts a podcast and writes on Substack exploring culture, identity and the stories that shape how we see ourselves. With parents who grew up during apartheid, she's seen first-hand how systems can disrupt a person's sense of identity. Her focus is on how African people rebuild belonging and psychological safety in a world that has often unsettled them.

​About the Series

​Kwanda Lectures is a new initiative from Kwanda that brings thoughtful, grounded perspectives to our community.

​Kwanda has always been about more than money. We fund local projects across Africa and the diaspora, but the real work is about restoring agency, dignity, and possibility. These lectures are an extension of that mission.

​Each series features a speaker from our community exploring ideas that matter to the people we serve and the villagers who make that work possible. The format is simple: one speaker, one big idea, followed by open conversation.

​This is not a conference. There are no panels, no keynotes, no networking breaks. Just honest thinking about the things that shape the communities we care about.

​We are starting with Motsi Cheminye on ontological security.