25 Feb 2026

Counseling is a necessary restoration process for orphaned children, to help them heal emotional wounds caused by the loss of parents, abandonment or other traumatic life experiences.

Without it, they could fall into depression, anxiety, behavioural challenges and long-term social difficulties, Clicks area manager for Botswana, Ms Lebopo Bulayani has said.

“Grief does not disappear simply because a child is young. When children lose parental love and guidance, they need structured emotional support to process their pain and rebuild their sense of security,” Ms Bulayani added.

She was speaking at a healing session dubbed, Re Imetswe, in Gaborone, with focus on the topic: Turning Loss into Purpose. She noted that through counseling, hope and emotional stability of orphaned children could be restored.

Ms Bulayani described counselling as being more than just conversation since it equipped children with coping skills, built self-esteem and fostered resilience.

“Through guided therapy sessions, group discussions and mentorship programmes, orphaned children can learn to navigate grief and develop healthier emotional responses,” she said, adding that untreated trauma could manifest in academic struggles, social withdrawal, aggression or substance abuse later in life.

However, early intervention, she highlighted could reduce the risks.

 “Counselling gives children permission to feel, to speak and to heal, it helps them understand that their pain is valid and that they are not alone,” she said.

Ms Bulayani encouraged families and guardians to seek professional support and not assume that children would grow out of their trauma. An orphan herself, Ms Bulayani who is also a former beauty queen, lost her mother at the age of seven.

She has since directed her energy to being an author, motivational speaker, the director of Miss Independence Kgatleng, and philanthropy.

Growing up without consistent parental support exposed her to trauma, bullying and emotional isolation, experiences she believes could have been better managed with professional counseling.

“There were moments when nobody asked if I was okay. My family knew what had happened to us, but there was no structured support, no counseling, no one guiding us through the pain,” said Ms Bulayani.

Despite the challenges, she chose to turn her loss into purpose and now shares a message of hope, that with the right support, orphaned children could overcome their past and build a future filled with purpose and confidence.

One of the attendees, Ms Keletso Gaabonwe, agreed that orphaned children were among the most psychologically vulnerable groups.

“Without intervention, these emotional wounds may follow children into adulthood, affecting relationships, education and self-esteem,” she said and explained that counseling provided coping mechanisms, validation and a safe environment for children to process trauma.

Ms Gaabonwe also pointed out that many orphaned children faced stigma in addition to grief.

“Being labeled, pitied or treated differently can deepen feelings of isolation,” she said, arguing that counseling, helps normalise emotions and builds resilience.

She noted that early therapeutic support could help children process grief in healthy stages, reduce the risk of long-term depression and anxiety, improve academic performance and social integration, build emotional regulation and coping skills and prevent harmful coping behaviours.

Her message to policymakers and community leaders was clear: investing in mental health support for orphaned children is not a luxury but it is a necessity.

Re Imetswe, which translates to ‘we are burdened,’ in English, is the brainchild of Ms Charity Masaka. It advocates for accessible mental health services. BOPA