15 May 2017

Failure to use the Youth Development Fund (YDF) by out-of-school youth to better their standard of living is worrisome, says Kgosi Mmoloki Tshabisa of Lepashe.
In an interview, Kgosi Tshabisa said since the inception of the programme, none of his village youth had benefitted.
He noted that those who had made efforts to apply for the programme, failed to exercise patience in making follow-ups.

Kgosi Tshabisa also said those who felt challenged in filling the application forms or failed to meet other requirements were reluctant to visit relevant officers for clarification.
He also pointed out that the tendency by some of the youth to engage the same person over and over again to assist them with business related matters also crippled their chances to benefit from the programme.
He said such a move leads to the reproduction of the same business proposals and ideas, which in the long run contributed to market saturation for the products and services.

Kgosi Tshabisa further advised the youth to strive to start a business guided by the promising outlook of a particular project.
He said they should desist from the basis that other people have already ventured in such projects and were doing well.
“YDF is one of the means that plays a role in efforts to lessen challenges of unemployment and others that are poverty related. However, it is a pity that the youth here have not yet benefitted despite advices they are always given,” he said.
Moreover, Kgosi Tshabisa said laziness and failure to be vigilant negatively affected their chances to benefit from the programme.
Meanwhile, Kgosi Tshabisa criticised some poverty eradication beneficiaries who have abandoned their projects, and have opted to live on hand outs.

He said some of the beneficiaries flocked the Ipelegeng programme in large numbers, thereby making it difficult for those not enrolled under any project to benefit.
Kgosi Tshabisa said although the equipment of some projects had not been delivered, beneficiaries should not seat back but use alternative solutions.
He also lamented that issues of behavioural change among the youth had also remained a challenge. ENDS