23 Feb 2016

The Tebogo Horatious Carter (THC) Foundation has taken iy upon itself to educate tertiary students about gender based violence. 

They recently took their campaign to Francistown where former Tati Town Customary Court president, Ms Margaret Mosojane applauded THC Foundation for empowering the youth.

 She urged tertiary institutions to add GBV and good decision making in their curriculum to enable students to make wiser decisions.

She said alcohol abuse, unplanned pregnancies, cohabitation, poverty and poor decision making contributed to the escalating cases of violence.

THC Foundation volunteer, Ms Keabonye Ntsabane, said the foundation had young people at heart, hence educating them.

She said according to the Baseline study (2012) conducted by the Gender Affairs Department, 67 per cent of women had experienced some form of GBV and almost a quarter of all women interviewed said they experienced sexual harassment  at work, public transport and at schools.

“The youth are our future, they are vulnerable and by empowering them, we are securing our future leaders and will be looking towards a reduced rate of GBV hence having a healthy and happy nation by Vision 3036,” she said. 

Gerald police station commander, Superintendent Masego Mathitha expressed concern over withdrawal of cases of abuse saying people still had fear of being labelled and urged students to support others who were victims of gender based violence in their schools and communities.

She said issues of GBV, more especially of assault involving women and children, were on the rise with a difference margin of more than 146 between  2014 and 2015.

The THC Foundation  signed a memorandum of understanding with the student network in order to have a robust campaign on addressing issues of GBV and HIV/AIDS.

Francistown deputy mayor, Mr Lechedzani Modenga, appreciated the signing of the memorandum saying it would give them a chance to voice out how they could address the escalating issues of GBV especially sexual harassment, passion killings,rape, incest and defilement.

He said government was looking at young people to spearhead the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP).

And it could only be done if they were emotionally, mentally and physically fit adding that if the family was not at peace that would affect everybody, the school and the country development.

A third year student of Bachelor of Commerce in Banking and Finance student of Baisago University, Francistown, Mr Uyapo Chakalisa, was happy to be one of the participants at the seminar saying that he had a clearer picture of how he should treat victims of abuse and the channels he could get through to help them.

He said he used to mind his own business but the seminar had challenged his attitude in a positive way about the GBV issues that happened especially in communities. Ends