06 Nov 2022

Families are in dire need of regeneration in order to build a morally tolerant nation that was accountable, says Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Mr Kgotla Autlwetse.

    He therefore commended Percy and Ashley Thaba of the Health Families Foundation for sacrificing their time to help the community reflect on the importance of a healthy family structure as well as resuscitation of the degenerating morality, religious and cultural beliefs.

  Mr Autlwetse was speaking at the end of a 12-day family building workshop organised by the Thabas in Francistown on Friday.

 He said the husband and wife team was worth commending as they had raised their hands in the hour of need and sensitised Batswana on the values of respect that were critical to a healthy family and the sanctity of marriage.

Minister Autlwetse said the disturbing trend of moral decadence forced government to establish a presidential task force to find the root cause of immorality.

The minister said the move was taken with the essence of promoting good social values and building confidence in restoring families.

“The workshops have helped to mend broken families and break gender-based violence cycles thereby creating a brighter future,” said Ms Thaba at the same event.   

She said the 3 000 participants,  who were awarded certificates,  would continue to instil knowledge that would build healthy families. 

That had the potential to be a massive social protection for generations, said Ms Thaba.

 

Senior assistant commissioner of police Ms Cynthia Setilo said the existence of healthy family structures was vital in curbing crime.

 She urged all social structures to unite and fight against social ills, especially at the family level. 

“Parents should not let children become the responsibility of teachers or the police to reprimand them, instead we should teach them from an early age to do the right thing and avoid steering into criminal activities,” she said.

Giving his testimony, Constable Kago Ntope said his life had been changed as he learnt how to improve his relationship with his partner.

Constable Ntope said he always believed that being a man meant he had to dominate but the workshop taught him that it hindered healthy communication.

The self-introspection, he said, had helped him with personal development which not only enabled him to be a better person but helped his partner as well.

“I now allow myself to be vulnerable with my partner and tell her to let me know how she feels so I can understand her perspective on every issue we encounter,” he said.

Mr Ntope encouraged all to go through the personal development process before committing to anyone as it helped to unlearn unhealthy attitudes that tended to ruin relationships.

The 33 participants were drawn from Botswana Police Service, Botswana Defence Force, Botswana Prisons Service, District Commissioner’s office as well as private sector entities. Ends