For more than a decade, Oabona Matildah Letshuti has built her career around a profession where the consequences of decisions can be measured in human lives. A Botswana SHEQ professional, trainer, mentor, author and speaker, her experience spans occupational health and safety, mining, construction, petroleum and management systems.
Her journey, however, has increasingly moved beyond compliance and technical expertise towards leadership, mentorship, professional development and creating safer environments for people. Oabona began her professional journey with a Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety, completed in 2014, before pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Health and Safety.
She has continued to deliberately invest in her professional development through training in ISO management systems, incident investigation, ICAM, training and assessment and other areas of SHEQ practice. Her career has largely been shaped by the mining industry, where she has worked across different environments and business functions.
She currently serves as a SHE Officer with Naledi Mining Services within the Debswana environment, supporting work around SHE assurance, risk management, audits, incident learning, management systems, training and workplace safety improvement. Her contribution has included developing SHE assurance frameworks and minimum requirements, supporting management-system implementation, training hundreds of people and participating in initiatives aimed at reducing workplace risks.
WHEN KNOWLEDGE BECOMES IMPACT
For Oabona, occupational safety is not simply about enforcing rules. Her approach centres on educating and involving people in the safety process. “I believe in teaching, not policing,” she says, reflecting her view that lasting safety cultures require understanding, ownership, psychological safety and personal responsibility. That philosophy has also shaped her work beyond the workplace. Through mentorship, coaching, guest lecturing, professional speaking and community initiatives, she has supported emerging professionals and young people navigating their careers and leadership journeys. She founded ProSAFE Consulting, creating another platform through which she contributes to safer workplaces, stronger professionals and more capable organisations. She is also the founder and mentor of the Motheo Mentorship Programme. Writing has become another part of that contribution. As an author, Oabona uses her experiences to explore resilience, personal growth, safety culture, leadership and navigating difficult seasons. Her work reflects a belief that knowledge becomes more valuable when it is shared. Her involvement with Boitekanelo College as an alumna, alongside her leadership and community engagement, further reflects her commitment to professional development and giving back.
IMPACT IS GREATER THAN TITLES
Oabona’s journey has not been without setbacks. There have been periods of disappointment, professional challenges and moments when opportunities did not come as expected. Those experiences, however, strengthened her resilience and shaped her understanding of leadership. She learned that influence is not always dependent on position. There are opportunities to lead without a formal title, create solutions without waiting for an invitation and continue developing others even when recognition is delayed. That perspective informs one of the messages she now carries strongly: impact is greater than titles. For Oabona, professionals should not wait for permission to become who they are capable of becoming. They can begin contributing, learning and creating influence from wherever they are.
A WOMAN BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION
A significant part of Oabona’s professional focus is the advancement of women in traditionally male-dominated industries. She is passionate about safety leadership, organisational culture, mentorship and professional development, particularly in environments where women continue to navigate complex leadership spaces. Her professional recognition includes the Women in Mining Botswana Excellence in SHE Award in 2025 and the SHEQ Knowledge Catalyst Award at the Botswana SHERQ Impact Awards 2026, where she received Judges Special Recognition.
She was also an AfriSAFE 2025 finalist in the Outstanding Woman in Safety category and has received recognition through professional and industry nominations across SHEQ, leadership, mentorship and impact. She has also been recognised as a SHEQ Queen by Global SHEQ Consulting & Training. In 2026, her contribution to the mining conversation expanded further when she was invited to serve as a WIMCON moderator for a panel focused on women influencing decisions across the mining sector. For her, such opportunities represent more than professional recognition; they create platforms to contribute to conversations that can influence the future of the industry.
STILL BECOMING
Oabona’s vision extends beyond her own career. She wants to contribute to a generation of African professionals who are technically competent, purpose-driven, courageous and committed to making a difference beyond themselves. Her ambition is to continue growing as a SHEQ leader, thought leader, mentor, author, trainer and speaker while expanding her contribution across Africa and beyond. At the heart of that vision is a simple principle: build a career while building people, pursue excellence while serving others, and rise without forgetting those who are still finding their way. Her story demonstrates that becoming is not about reaching a final destination. It is a continuous process of learning, adapting, serving and creating impact. Oabona is still learning. Still mentoring. Still writing. Still building. And that may be the most compelling part of her story. True leadership is not measured only by how far you rise, but by how many people rise because you chose to lift them.