04 May 2017

A young woman based in Maun, Boitumelo Molefane has embarked on a poetry project to share her life story to inspire and empower people who may face similar challenges.

Speaking at the launch of her poetic CD album Footsteps in the desert and a motivational book titled I Shall Rise in Maun over the weekend, Molefane said her aim was to encourage people to overcome any form of oppression.

The project, she said came in three phases, the bloom, fall and I shall rise.

“I shall rise is a non-profit making complex project aimed at empowering communities through mentorship, implementation, monitoring and evaluation,” she said.

The motivational book takes its readers on a journey of the author’s life from her childhood to womanhood, her positive and negative experiences and how they moulded her into who she is today.

Molefane, who works as a district officer development at Maun Administrative Authority said that the project aimed at bringing hope to the hopeless, heal the broken hearted and help people realise their true identity.

“The project came at a time when I thought I have to wake up and realise my dream, it is a testimony of my life, a confession,” she said.

One of the lines in the I shall rise autography goes thus; “I slowly felt the once burning light of my life reducing to just a faint wick, I came to learn that the drought season may persist, but finally rain does come.”

The poems, she said try to advise people that although they did not have the power to control circumstances they however should use the experiences as stepping stones to go further.

Footsteps in the desert comprises 12 poems namely do not cry, life, and the title album Footsteps in the desert which is on track 10.

For her part, founder of Purple Art, Ms Batsile Mabutho encouraged participants to believe in themselves in order to pursue their dreams in life.

Speaking at the launch, Mabutho said doubts were one of the obstacles that made it difficult for people to realise their dreams.

“In life you have to learn from other people and rely on those people who will encourage you to keep going, you need to persevere,” she said.

She encouraged the vibrant author to have mentors and coaches who would guide her when the doubting voice overpowers her.

In an interview, the founder and author of the I shall Rise project told BOPA that she has developed a community development model at Ngware village in Kweneng District which aims to nurture talents and improve academic performance in rural settlements. ENDS