25 Sep 2019

First Lady Neo Masisi has called for the provision of interactive platforms for young people to share their issues with parents and leaders. 

 Ms Masisi, who is UNAIDS special ambassador for youth  engagement and empowerment, was speaking at a consultative meeting in Gaborone on September 24.

 She also said it was important that young people were given the power and authority to make informed decisions about their lives. 

The first lady urged parents to encourage self-empowerment and self-worth among young people for them to see themselves as leaders and exercise self-discipline.

Adults, she said, wished to see young people economically empowered and equipped with both life and entrepreneurial skills. 

Ms Masisi said today’s generation was entrepreneurial, therefore young people needed to be equipped with multifaceted skills for survival. 

In addition, the first lady said young people needed family support to succeed and face challenges. 

However, she said youth should be able to come up with sustainable and innovative solutions to their problems. 

Lebopo Motladiile, a Form Four pupil at Mogoditshane Senior Secondary School, said parents did not allow children to be independent and responsible young people capable of shaping their path in life. 

He said young people had dreams which were not supported by parents. 

An aspiring entrepreneur, Motladiile said young people should be allowed to take risks adding that they should be given opportunities and allowed to expand on them without instilling fear of failure in them. 

Another young person, Kago Bachodi, a learner at Botswana Society for the Deaf, appealed for support from parents. 

Bachodi noted that as a young deaf person, he faced many challenges which prevented him from achieving his goals and realising his dreams. 

For Tafura Lefutswe, a Gamodubu Primary School pupil, young people were the most vulnerable group to serious crimes such as murder and rape. 

Lefutswe therefore appealed to leaders and law enforcement officers to strengthen security in communities, especially among young people. 

An aspiring scientist, he appealed for more research on crime in order to find sustainable solutions. 

Coordinator of National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency (NAHPA), Mr Richard Matlhare said the first lady’s engagement with young people was bearing fruit as young around the country had been sharing their issues with her. 

He said Ms Masisi had also engaged community leaders in finding solutions to issues concerning young people. Ends