01 Nov 2015

A social and community welfare department official has implored Youth Women Christian Association (YWCA)  members to work in harmony and make noticeable change in society.

Speaking at an event to revive the association’s Letlhakane office, Ms Kabelo Tuwane said a positive change could only be achieved by developing a common goal.

She encouraged the association to take a holistic approach when dealing with issues and ensure that emotional, spiritual and physical needs were met. YWCA she observed existed to advocate for peace, justice, human rights and care for the environment.

Ms Tuwane said it was a challenge for the Letlhakane association to establish strategies that could be employed to upgrade livelihoods of the local community.

She urged the association to work in partnership with the social and community welfare department so that they could learn and appreciate the small business enterprises they were offering.

Ms Tuwane noted that her department and YWCA had common goals, saying some of the association’s key issues were sexual and reproductive health, human rights and AIDS, violence against women as well as young women leader ship.

Furthermore, she highlighted that women in most cases fail to achieve their intended goals due to the tendency of having an element of hatred amongst each other.

The association, she said, should have a good image and be reputable for providing life changing programmes.

This, she said, could only be achieved if they could set aside their differences and focus on reaching the intended goals and objectives of the association.

The chairperson of YWCA North East region, Ms Ludo Mosojane said the association runs a school that offers O’level studies in Gaborone as well as a teenage mothers project among others.

Ms Mosojane said 2015 was another season with new challenges, citing youth violence, broken families, alcoholism and drug abuse.

These social challenges, she said, threaten to reverse the gains of social development achieved since independence.

Ms Mosojane said YWCA commits itself to work with dikgosi, government and other stakeholders to support all the pillars of Vision 2016 towards 2066.She appealed to dikgosi to work closely with the association to help recruit the youth.

Ms Mosojane noted that there was a burning desire to develop Letlhakane YWCA plot for use by the youth in the area.

Letlhakane YWCA chairperson, Ms Kabo Phampa said it has been difficult for the association to retain members, calling on dikgosi and councillors to assist them in their recruitment drive.

Councillor Ntebogang Kgosi commended the members for their dedication towards the association, urging them to work in unison in order to move forward. Ends