23 Oct 2023

It is vital for the youth to understand government programmes that are meant to help them better their lives, Gaborone Central MP, Mr Tumisang Mangwegape-Healy has said.

Speaking during the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture community scorecard meeting in Lotlhakane East on October 19, Mr Mangwegape-Healy, who is also the committee’s chairperson, urged the youth to always attend kgotla meetings where valuable information was shared.

He explained that the meeting intended to determine how government programmes and laws passed in Parliament impacted on the youth. For his part, committee member and Thamaga/Kumakwane MP, Mr Palelo Motaosane advised the youth to always prepare their proposals for funding well on time and visit relevant departments for advice.

He said some proposals were rejected because the applicants failed to fully explain them during interviews.

Kgosi Naledi Ramotswaiso of Lotlhakane East highlighted that her village was faced with the challenge of high unemployment rate.

She said graduates were seated home with nothing to do and some ended up indulging in alcohol and drug abuse as well as criminal activities.

She pleaded for language in Youth Development Fund (YDF) forms to be simplified.

Ministry of Youth, Sport, Gender and Culture officer in the Kanye region, Ms Kenalemang Magawe, said a number of government programmes were designed to benefit the youth. However, she said challenges such as high rentals, lack of commitment by some beneficiaries and limited funds affected government programmes.

To address these challenges, she said the district would continue to advocate for development of land banks to be used by young people for their businesses, continuous monitoring, mentoring and coaching of beneficiaries.

Ms Magawe stated that LEA and CEDA could assist the youth to prosper in their ventures. However, she said there was slow response from the youth.

A representative of Lotlhakane East youth committee, Mr Vincent Stegling, said they were grappling with lack of in-depth information on various government programmes, shortage of land, unregulated prices of their products and high rentals.

In order to arrest such challenges, he highlighted the need for them to standardise prices and that communication from government departments should be relayed well on time. ends