25 Sep 2014

Councillors in Southern District have been told that a total of 490 projects have been funded through the Youth Development Fund (YDF) since inception in 2009 and 419 are operational.

These youth businesses created employment of 478 men and 273 women, the district council chairman, Mr Leach Tlhomelang said this at the on-going Southern District Council meeting. He said this year the district had received 63 project proposals from applicants but submission is ongoing till funds get depleted.

He said Kanye office has received only 10 applicants, Goodhope 15, Moshupa 15 and Mabutsane 23, only 8 projects have been approved at Goodhope office whilst other proposals are still being assessed. 

He said the office is currently experiencing low application submission despite the effort to sensitize the youth through orientations sessions. The chairman encouraged councilors and members of the community to encourage youth to apply in large numbers to utilize youth schemes, urging them, ‘’to make hay while the sun shines.’’

Concerning National Service Programme, councilors were told that the district has a total of 116 Tirelo Sechaba participants, which includes 277 in Moshupa, 374 in Goodhope, 331 in Kanye and 134 in Mabutsane.

It was said an arrangement has been made to pay Tirelo Sechaba beneficiaries through Barclays Bank branches countrywide and Botswana Post through Orange Money services whilst in other remote areas the office is forced to transport allowances to their respective areas. ENDS