10 Apr 2013

Jehovah’s Shepherds Church of Zion youth leader, Mr Kago Baboloki says children have the right to be cared for and loved by their parents and guardians.

Speaking at the church’s youth meeting in Masunga on Tuesday, Mr Baboloki said they needed to be taught ways to take care of themselves until a time when they would be fully independent.

He said such care should include teaching them the dangers of engaging in pre-marital sex and on how to become responsible adults. In this way, children’s rights and potentials would be closely protected and their future secured, he said.

Mr Baboloki emphasised the need to build strong foundations on health knowledge in children, saying in that way, it would be easier for them to know the dangers of such things as engaging in sexual activities at a tender age. He said it would also ease the pressure of fearing to open up to their parents and guardians about issues relating to sex as well as HIV and AIDS.

“Challenges that create barriers between parents, guardians and children include an old traditional way of thinking, where a parent is mandated with discussing sexual matters with their children, but decline saying to do so is taboo,” he said.

One of the youth members in attendance, Miss Jennifer Keromang, who is a University of Botswana (UB) graduate with a diploma in social work also emphasised the importance of providing love to children as a way of securing their future.

“Children in the 21st century encounter traumatising experiences such as having to run away from their homes fearing abusive parents and guardians, child labour and being victims of human trafficking,” she said. Even though some of these challenges were rare in Botswana, she said she feared they were gradually rising and serious measures should be put in place to protect these children.

Ms Keromang also emphasised the importance of the church in such issues, saying it could be used as a haven for children’s behavioural change, therefore urging young people to invite God into their lives for spiritual strengthening.

“There is a verse in the Bible where Jesus tells parents to let the children come to him because the future of the heavens belongs to them. This is how much God loves his children,” she said. ENDS