01 Nov 2020

Government, through the department of community development, has made strides in improving the welfare of children accommodated at hostel facilities under the Remote Area Development Programme (RADP). 

Deputy director in the department, Ms Delic Sehunwe, said in an interview that her department was doing all it could to improve children’s welfare in hostel facilities such as providing training to staff taking care of children.

She said over 50 RADP hostel staff-cadres consisting of matrons, boarding masters, caretakers, drivers, cook, night watch men and general duty assistants had been trained in the community based work with children and youth course (CBWCY) to address issues of child protection and welfare in hostel facilities.

The project was a beneficiation of sponsorship from the Department of Social Protection, in accordance with pillar two of Vision 2036: Sustainable human and social development. 

“Approximately 1 375 children, 679 boys and 696 girls housed in 10 hostels across seven districts in the country are placed in good-caring hands of adequately trained staff personnel, ” Ms Sehunwe said.

 She disclosed that the trained hostel staff personnel was drilled in concepts of community mobilisation skills, children and youth development, case management skills, counselling and child protection among others.

Ms Sehunwe said the ripple effects of the training resulted in strengthened relations between children and staff, reduced truancy among school going children, strengthened a sense of responsibility portrayed by children and development of life skills among children.

She added that improving the welfare of children accommodated in hostel facilities bridged a gap between home and school, hence children adapting to the school environment and even perform better academically.

One of the beneficiaries of this training, Ms Connie Keothobile, acknowledged that the course was beneficial both on personal and professional level. 

She said the course helped her see life differently and to relate well with children.

“I feel confident and well-versed with children’s issues, rights, policies and how to analyse their behaviour to establish when they have problems. I’ve learnt that children are not passive, they have the right to confidentiality, privacy and their voice must be heard.” Ms Keothobile divulged. 

Another care taker, Mr Lebewamang Kereteletswe, said the training sensitised him extensively on issues of child protection and the importance of working with other stakeholders such as social services and families in addressing issues affecting children.

“Issues of ill-treatment of children in hostels are history, as hostel staff we understand their physical, mental, emotional and psychological needs because of the training we acquired”. Mr Kereteletswe reinforced.

The course instructor and a lecturer at Botswana Open University Ms Joyce Oletile implored government, private and parastatal organisations to enrol their staff on CMBCY programme, reasoning that it was the right step towards achieving the country’s vision of accelerating to a high-income knowledge based economy driven by adequately empowered, resilient citizens. Ends