30 Aug 2017

Government has invested a lot of resources in providing basic needs to vulnerable children, says permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Molefi Keaja.

Speaking at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with civil society partners recently, Mr Keaja said the government had set up structures that enhanced child participation and protection as well as providing a policy and legal environment that facilitated all to play their part.

He said the number of civil society organisations working with children was increasing at an alarming rate, adding that not all had good intentions.

He said some were driven by self-interest and that the ministry needed to harness its efforts in providing education on child protection services so that children were not taken advantage of.

Mr Keaja added that the ministry continued to receive reports of duplication of services by some civil society organisations, and the increasing need to protect its turf.

He said such practices only served to fragment the meagre resources the ministry had, and that they also compromised service delivery urgently needed by their clients.

He said the government has done a lot in the provision of basic services and social protection programmes, and encouraged them to up-scale their life skills development and capacity building initiatives.

“Improved life-skills can enhance effective graduation and transition from childhood and better still from welfare programmes,” he said.

The permanent secretary said he was encouraged that some partners were already working on the field.

He said the ministry continued to experience the weakening of the family structure, compromised social support systems, household poverty and many other social ills which exposed children to different and more complex vulnerabilities.

He, however, urged the partners never to lose sight of the need to preserve the family as a nation building structure.

He said although some partners provided institutional care as an alternative to the lack of alternative community care avenues, the gap was still felt as the demand for the service continued to rise.

Mr Keaja urged all stakeholders to engage communities and make them recognise their responsibilities towards children, especially vulnerable children in moulding a better generation and the future.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding was between the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Masiela Trust Fund, Childline Botswana, SOS, REPSSI, Ark and Mark Trust, Marang Child Care and Network Trust. ENDS