01 Dec 2022

 International Youth Fellowship (IYF) has been applauded for playing a major role in helping young people to attain and develop skills that will make them responsible adults.

Speaking at the opening of the IYF festival, Vice President Slumber Tsogwane said the youth were custodians of the future of Botswana therefore the organisation was paving the way for the development of healthy minded, humble and responsible leaders for today and tomorrow.

“For young people in Botswana to reach high levels of achievement, it is pragmatic that they undergo a mindset change to help them to be at par with their peers worldwide, thus the theme for this year’s event, ”The need for mindset education,” he said.

The vice president said mindset was clearly the key that unlocked the hearts of youths and transforming them from having a negative perspective on life to a positive one.

“If life throws lemons at you turn those lemons into lemonade and sell for profit,” he said.

IYF secretary general Dr Hun-Mok Lee concurred with Mr Tsogwane said for the youth to develop skills and build a better Botswana,  they had to develop a mindset change that would make them believe they were capable and could be what they wanted in life.

He attributed South Korea‘s growth and transformation from a GDP per capita of US$ 79 in 1963 to the current US $ 35 000 to mindset education.

“Don’t put any limit to your dreams, and know that mindset education develops you to have the ability to think deeply,” he said.

He also said if the youth developed a mindset of helping each other as well as being compassionate and caring, it would help develop Botswana.

The spirit of unity, he said, had changed lives citing the people of South Korea in the 1960’s who transformed their country by working in harmony.

BA ISAGO University president, Dr Ruramayi Tadu thanked IYF for promoting mindset transformation, volunteerism and cultural exchanges among the youth.

He said having recognised that training young people provided solutions for communities, the university had been financially assisting IYF since 2016.

The festival, which ends today, was characterised by intercultural dances, exchange of ideas, culture and skills.

Through the World Culture Camp, young people undergo leadership training and are inspired as well as provided with opportunities to develop a challenging spirit, self-discipline, and critical thinking. ENDS