04 Apr 2016

Ninety-one Remote Area Dweller (RAD’s) students under Tutume Sub-district  have graduated from a six days retreat training for students residing at the Nata RADs hostels.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony on Saturday held at the hostels, the coordinator of the training, Ms Onalenna Bhayani explained that the journey of life training started in 2003 by REPSSI organisation from Zimbabwe with the aim of helping children to understand that they were the ones who were supposed to determine the direction of the future even when they were still under their parents’ care.

Ms Bhayani noted that the training was divided into two categories, being for the elders and children with the age range from five to 18 years. 

The training, she said, gave the children the principles and foundation of setting up their own goals for their future, noting that it gives the child the opportunity to get their responsibility right even when they were still under their parents nurturing.

She added that in the training they highlight to the trainees that despite their age they have a responsibility to share with their parents their thoughts on what they want to achieve in life. 

She pointed out that there were many challenges which hinder children to voice things they were supposed to do. She added that they instilled in them the sense of having to face and deal with obstacles in order for them to take charge of their lives from a young age. 

Furthermore, she highlighted that in their training they make use of pictures and stories so that the children could easily grasp the idea illustrated in the picture and put it into practice taking into consideration their own lives.

Meanwhile, Tutume Sub-district council representative, councillor Lopang Masikara noted that as much as the government was taking centre stage in making sure that fundamental children’s rights were not infringed, society also has a role to play to ensure that children were raised and supported accordingly to achieve their dreams.  

Mr Masikara said there were indications that in cases where the government has taken the responsibility of caring for children who were in need of such help, society and immediate families relinquish their role and leave everything on the hands of the government. 

He appealed to family members to do away with such behaviour and to understand that the government as well was in need of assistance because it could not be possible to cater for all children in need of aid.

For her part, a 14-year-old graduate, Ms Anita Gaekhutswe from Tshwaane said the training has opened their eyes to understand that despite their different backgrounds they should not be afraid to stand up and work hard to live their dreams. 

She said often as children from poor backgrounds there were some members of society who prefer to take advantage of them and ill treat them, but that with the training it has instilled in them believe that they too could become recognised citizens who could play a meaningful role in the development of the country. 

The other graduates where from Malelejwe, Mmadinoga and Marulamantsi. Ends