17 Mar 2019

The first lady, Ms Neo Masisi, says her interaction with girls aged 8-18 years is aimed at enriching and empowering them.

Speaking during a workshop dubbed Nna ke Naledi in Kasane on March 15, Ms Masisi said girls were faced with challenges such as teenage pregnancy and gender based violence.

Therefore, they needed to have high self-esteem in order to reach their full potential.

Ms Masisi, who was accompanied by Mohumagadi Peggy Sechele of Bakwena, said the workshop was her pilot project and her plans were to involve spouses of leaders in the country in the girl-child empowerment process. 

She said bahumagadi had to be first ladies in their areas because they supported dikgosi to become successful in what they did and therefore deserved recognition.

She explained that LUCARA Botswana partnered with her in terms of funding.

Ministry of Basic Education’s Chobe regional director, Ms Lillian Matshameko, said it was encouraging to see the first lady interacting with learners and mentoring them. 

She said there was need to take from the learners what they wanted instead of the grown-ups lecturing to them on what to become. 

In an interview with LUCARA chief, Ms Naseem Lahr, said partnering with the first lady was part of the company’s social responsibility towards addressing gender inequality and ensuring realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

She said as a first Motswana woman to be at the helm of a diamond company, she wanted to demonstrate and encourage girls that they could achieve their goals and even penetrate the male dominated careers.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, Kasane court president, Kgosi Thuso Wasetso said first lady’s workshop came at a time when the nation was faced with challenges such as teenage pregnancies and it would help groom the youth in the way they should conduct themselves.

And Professor Kathleen Alexandra of the Centre for African Resources Animals, Communities And Land Use (CARACAL) said she was impressed by Ms Masisi’s vision to instill confidence in the girls and had them shine like stars in the sky.

She said Chobe was one of the districts with a high number of female headed households and this called for girls to be empowered at a tender age. Ends