24 Jan 2019

Kgosi Omphile Bogoma of Komana has urged residents to take advantage of government initiatives to better their lives.

He said residents should stop undermining themselves, but rather try their luck in order to shape their future.

Giving a word of encouragement at an on-going workshop to empower residents to think outside the box and explore available opportunities, he said government continued to introduce good programmes aimed at uplifting citizens’ livelihoods, but it was unfortunate as some did not utilise them.

Kgosi Bogoma said women in particular, were mostly affected even though they multi-tasked in homes and encouraged them to change their mindset and grab every opportunity that comes their way in order to better their lives.

He encouraged women to consider working as teams and utilise programmes that promote saving among teams, adding, ‘that is a useful programme which can transform your lives for the better as you will be saving the little you have and share it at a later stage’.

Kgosi Gaolatlhe Kgosigaenyatswe of Nxaraga, who has joined one of the groups, said some were doing well as members had already reaped their benefits. 

He said they managed to contribute towards activities such as funerals, weddings and other social events, adding that the initiative was a good development as they could uproot poverty if residents take it seriously.

Kgosi requested the implementers to engage local banks to give a waiver to the groups, noting that high service charges at the banks were frustrating their efforts.

Giving a progress report, Nxaraga/Komana social worker, who also monitors the groups, Mr Obakeng Kheru shared the sentiments with kgosi that some groups were performing well while some were still struggling.

In Komana, he said they had four groups, three of which were active while in Nxaraga three groups were formed and only one was excelling. 

Mr Kheru said he once invited groups from Nxaraga for a benchmarking mission at Komana, adding that some groups had started income generating projects such as bricklaying to provide shelter for their members and sell surplus.

Some members, he said, had ventured into small businesses with their savings, which he said was an indication that they were eager to eradicate poverty and lead dignified lives.

He further stated that the groups had not experienced issues of funds mismanagement. ENDS