13 Oct 2015

The Ipelegeng programme has been hailed by the Letlhakeng Village Development Committee (VDC) as a vital initiative to members of the community as well as for the development of communities.

Speaking at the village kgotla in Letlhakeng recently where residents were queuing to enroll into the programme, the VDC treasurer, Ms Lesenyo Setlhalefi said the programme has some positive effects on their village such as keeping it clean as some participants were engaged in environmental awareness initiatives such as litter picking and environmental education.

She said she was impressed with the levels of productivity displayed by participants, saying the programme has instilled the spirit of self-reliance and unity among the community.

Ms Setlhalefi further said the programme has also helped alleviate people from absolute poverty.

“Now most people can afford to put bread on the table for their loved ones no matter how little it might be, it can be the difference between going to sleep on an empty stomach and going to sleep having had a decent supper,” she said.

Another member of the VDC, Ms Maitseo Botsile said although Ipelegeng has been sustaining their communities, she was nevertheless concerned by the high number of youth enrolment in the programme, saying the youth should instead shift their focus to other government programmes aimed at assisting them such as the Youth Development Fund(YDF).

She said they could help the government by creating jobs for other youths. She added that Ipelegeng should not be seen as permanent employment, but rather as an initiative by the government to engage its people in community development.

She said she was concerned about the youth who were slow in utilising government initiatives despite the authorities trying over the years to come up with youth friendly policies to spark entrepreneurship in them.

 She said the mentality that the government was the only entity that should create employment was wrong. Ends