14 Feb 2019

Now For Them Community Trust has embarked on raising awareness on issues affecting young women and girls in Botswana as a means of empowering them.

Speaking in an interview with BOPA, the national coordinator of the trust, Ms Gaone Matthiessen said her organisation was currently rolling out a programme in which they empowered young women and girls to participate in governance in rural Botswana.

She said through the programme, they educate and encourage students in primary and secondary schools on issues of family planning and the use of contraceptives, sexual and reproductive health rights as well as teenage mother-child care.

Further, she said her organisation had taken it upon itself not to exclude the boy child as they were sometimes equally affected.

She said both girls and boys went through puberty, therefore each one of them experience changes in their bodies.

“During puberty, boys and girls experience overwhelming emotions, which they need to learn to control to ensure they avoid situations that may derail their progress in life.

Therefore, I encourage them not to get too excited and forget about their education and future,” she said.

She urged students to concentrate on education and avoid being drawn into relationships that may lead to pregnancy.

Ms Matthiessen said such consequences may force a girl child to drop out of school and raise her child.

“As youth of Botswana, we need to learn to empower one another no matter how small the idea, as this is the only way we will progress. Teaching is a skill, it does not only empower them as individuals, but it uplifts their spirits and might even improve their situation and make a difference,” she said.

She said they had already visited many primary and secondary schools around the country such as Kwena Sereto JSS in Molepolole to offer mentorship on their programme.

A motivational speaker, Ms Bantsi Mangole said boys and girls should not allow themselves to be pressurised by their peers into drugs, alcohol and love relationships and should be focused on their school work.

She encouraged them to be focused on achieving their dreams as they are growing up, remkinding them that  they would not be young forever.

Ms Mangole encouraged pupils to go for counselling when they are faced with issues that affect them emotionally.

She said she grew up in an alcoholic and physically abusive home where her parents fought all the time and that depressed her and she ended up doing drugs and alcohol.

 “Through counselling, I was able to regain my strength and started seeing things differently.

Today I am happy, pursuing my dreams and married.

Therefore, it is possible for boys and girls to overcome such situations,” she said.

A pupil who had attended the organisation’s outreach programme, Palesa Ramokhutshwane applauded the organisation for the programme, saying it would change the lives of young women and girls if seriously taken into consideration.

“As we grow up we are faced with challenges, especially when we reach puberty, therefore such initiatives will help us be a better generation,” she said

She said most pupils did not know how to tackle issues affecting them, but she was optimistic that with all the teachings and encouragement they would be able to know how to change their mentality towards life. ENDs