14 Aug 2024

Botswana Community Trust in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture had launched Empower100 programme in Mahalapye through which 100 youth and women in the village will gain access to  agribusiness training opportunities.

Speaking at the launch on Monday, the Botswana Community Trust Chairperson Mr Sharack Lungu said the trust existed to promote sustainable employment, professional growth and decent work opportunities for all.

He said he believed that opportunities were there for every Motswana provided one had the drive to embrace the opportunities. “I envy each and every one of you because in my youth days such visions as the Botswana Vision 2036 did not exist and programmes like Empower100 were also not existent, so you are lucky to be having such an opportunity,” Mr Lungu said.

He encouraged the programme beneficiaries to work smart and hard with patience and resilience to achieve their goals, stating that  they would be selected according to how they would present their ideas.

Mr Lungu emphasised the importance of supporting beneficiaries to reach the pinnacle because they wanted to make a change and improve the economy of the country as well to provide sustainable employment.

For his part, Empower100 programme manager, Mr Thebe Cassidy said Botswana Community Trust through Empower100 programme intended to unleash the full potential of Mahalapye and unlock opportunities for prosperity by turning the district into a hub of animal feeds.

Furthermore, he said the vast agricultural land and underground water presented a golden opportunity for animal feed mass production.

Mr Cassidy shared that once this industry was well established Mahalapye would have the capacity to supply various animal feeds countrywide and minimise imports for animal feeds.

Moreover, she said employment opportunities would be availed to the youth of Mahalapye and surrounding areas.

Mr Cassidy shared that Empower100 programme would  be rolled out to the entire country in order to create a platform for the youth to make a difference and venture into fodder production. ENDS