10 Aug 2014

The first ever youth with disabilities pitso has been described as a success following the Launch of Youth Development Fund guidelines and forms in Braille.  

The Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri said the guidelines and forms would go a long way towards up-holding the moral and social fabric of the country.

Minister Matlhabaphiri stated that the commitment of the government to people with disabilities thus far was demonstrated by enabling people with disabilities to qualify for a vast number of government programmes such as Poverty Eradication and Local Procurement Scheme (LPS) and others.

He added that LPS provides a 20 per cent quota reserved for the targeted disadvantaged groups, including people living with disabilities, in all tenders above the micro procurement financial threshold. Mr Matlhabaphiri also commended the private sector for the charitable undertaking they continue to demonstrate and their assistance to people with disabilities.  

In addition, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture (MYSC), Mr Peter Mongwaketse noted that the holding of the Youth with Disabilities Pitso marks a milestone for them as the ministry.

Mr Mongwaketse said that MYSC Pitso which was held in collaboration with Botswana Federation for Youth with Disabilities (BOFOD) and the Office of People with Disabilities under the Office of the President is a symbiotic relationship. The Pitso, he added wishes to achieve between the different stakeholders that deal with people with disabilities.

Through this Pitso and the implementation of the resolutions thereafter, MYSC is fulfilling a disability mainstreaming agenda which will be instrumental in integrating people with disability in the social and economic spheres, he said.

Further, he stated that to demonstrate MYSC’s commitment to issues pertaining to youth with disabilities, they have taken a deliberate and conscious decisions to have library for people with disabilities, train people with disabilities in ICT, Support sports people with disabilities, through BNSC among others.

The assistant minister also awarded ompanies Certificates for their continued efforts in employing people with disabilities. The companies include Choppies Store, Limkokwing University of Creative Technology and Game Stores among others.

They youth at the Pitso were also awarded certificates of participation as they underwent training modules on emotional intelligence, health and wellness, overview of Youth Development Fund and Local Procument Scheme.

Mr Mongwaketse said the Pitso signifies an incentive by MYSC to improve the accessibility of services to youth with disabilities.

He said they wanted to improve the uptake of youth programmes by youth with disabilities. ENDS