Engaging youth is vital for inclusive economic development. Facing extreme odds including a high prevalence of HIV, an unpredictable political climate, and significant unemployment, Basotho youth are especially disenfranchised. This study used a two-lens kit – the wide-angle of global development and the telephoto lens of inclusive design – to explore youth unemployment in Lesotho. Through ethnographic interviews with 26 youth in Hlotse about their ambition, challenges, perceived future, and possible supports, light is shed on the themes that matter to them; education, mentorship, employment, entrepreneurship, drugs and alcohol, and governance. This is a first step in enabling youth to codesign solutions for the economy in which they live, which in line with the objectives of localized government and non-profit organizations. Methodologically, recognizing diversity in positionality between the interviewer and participant, while also adopting an inclusive process to reduce barriers of engagement, are highlighted as facilitators of inclusive ideation.