05 May 2019

Shoshong Youth Business Council chairperson, Mr Monei Gadis, has appealed to Otse and Kodibeleng youth to venture into business in order to contribute towards building future of the nation.

Mr Gadis said this at a kgotla meeting addressed by Shoshong legislator, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele on May 3.

He said young people must live with the reality that they made the larger share of the national population and therefore the limited employment opportunities available would only absorb a few, hence focusing on creating employment opportunities.

Working in groups, he said, would allow them to share ideas of creating sustainable and profitable enterprises. 

Mr Gadis said the country would succeed if they assisted in fighting challenges such as unemployment and advised them to identify untapped business opportunities in their areas.

He said youth must quit playing the blame game because using others as scapegoats would not take them anywhere. 

“This is the time to introspect, take yourselves seriously and identify your strengths and weaknesses,” he said.

Those who had been assisted with the Youth Development Fund, Mr Gadis said, should own take responsibility and not blame youth officers for their failures.

“Account for your failures, youth officers are only there to guide because the business was your own idea, it was never imposed on you,” he said. One of the youth from Shoshong who benefited from the India business scholarship, Ms Docus Medupi encouraged women to venture into business regardless of educational status.

She said many women in India were not educated but that did not deter them to fend for themselves.

Ms Medupi said women in India were involved in business sectors including fashion, entertainment and farming. 

“There is need to venture into business and create employment in the rural settlements to decrease the high rate of rural, urban migration as well as promote healthy living,” she noted.

In his remarks, Mr Makgalemele encouraged them, to be active in developing their villages and their lives.

He encouraged them to work together, utilise available government funding opportunities and sharpen their business skills.

Mr Makgalemele said youth were also favoured by the affirmative action as they were reserved a 20 per cent share in tendering opportunities. Ends