05 Dec 2018

Forty women have graduated from the African Women Leadership Academy mentorship programme.

The academy, which started operating in 2010, incorporated men in 2013 and empowers both men and women with nine modules life skills for one year.

Speaking at the graduation, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Ms Kebonye Moepeng lauded the TAWLA programme, saying Botswana as a member of the United Nations has subscribed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) particularly goal five on the promotion of gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls. 

Some of the targets for SDG five are to eliminate violence against women and girls in the public-private and private spheres. It also targets trafficking, sexual and other types of exploitation, ensures women’s participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision making-making in political, economic and public life. It also enhances the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology to promote the empowerment of women.

She highlighted that to facilitate the implementation of the SDG five and its targets, Botswana adopted the national policy on gender and development which prioritised five programme areas being economic, development, prosperity and poverty eradication to achieve sustainable development.

Ms Moepeng commended TAWLA for having a stake in implementing the policy and commitment to empowering girls and young women over the years.  “TAWLA has capacitated the 40 graduates with character, confidence building, self-esteem enhancing, sexual reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, alcohol and substance abuse and other youth development issues,” she said.

She thanked the sponsors for being an extension of the government’s hand and parents for having allowed and supported their children to go through the training.

Welcoming guests, director of TAWLA, Dr Mpho Gilika said for the last eight years they had worked with young women and men to educate and empower them through life skills training, mentorship and networking.

She said the organisational leadership and mentorship programme had graduated many successful young people who were successful in different fields. 

“For the last eight years, TAWLA has worked with communities, schools, government ministries and churches to educate and bring awareness of social issues to the youth. We have held parenting seminars to improve the relationship between children and their parents. We have reached most rural areas of Botswana and have intervened where schools were having challenges with pupils and parents.”

Ms Siamisang Morolong of Stanbic Bank, who is head of legal and company secretary, said Stanbic Bank supported TAWLA financially with employee coaching volunteers through a partnership with Diacore Gaborone Marathon, and also supports the girls and boys through awareness education programmes.ENDS