22 Jun 2026

Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs, Ms Lesego Chombo, has challenged young people to move away from a culture of dependency and embrace innovation, entrepreneurship and problem-solving as pathways to self-reliance. 

She urged the youth to become creators of opportunities, not only for themselves but also for others.

Addressing the Molepolole Youth Pitso and Empowerment Workshop on Thursday, Ms Chombo said young people had for too long been conditioned to believe that success depended on securing employment from government or other employers rather than identifying and solving societal problems.

“What problem are you preparing yourself to solve?” Minister Chombo asked participants. “I’m not asking what degree you are pursuing or what career you want. The greatest impact comes from people who solve meaningful problems.”

Held under the theme: Unlocking Opportunities, Building Futures: Creating Pathways to Employment, Enterprise and Economic Inclusion, the workshop brought together youth, government officials, community leaders and industry players to discuss employment, entrepreneurship, innovation and economic inclusion.

Minister Chombo said government was shifting its focus towards creating an enabling environment for young people to innovate, start businesses and create employment opportunities, rather than serving as the sole provider of jobs.

“We want to prepare young people to be problem-solvers, not beneficiaries of opportunity,” she said. “Government’s role is to remove barriers, create enabling policies and provide support, but young people must come up with solutions, businesses and innovations that create jobs.”

She said Botswana’s education system was undergoing reforms aimed at equipping learners with practical skills, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities from an early age.

The minister also encouraged young people to embrace emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), saying technological advancement should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a threat.

“AI will not only replace some jobs, it will also create new jobs that have never existed before. Our responsibility is to prepare ourselves and position ourselves to take advantage of those opportunities,” she said. Member of Parliament for Molepolole South Mr Shima Monageng said the workshop was intended to provide a platform for young people to engage directly with the minister and learn from experienced professionals.

MP Monageng said he hoped to produce at least 30 successful entrepreneurs in the constituency before the end of his term in office.

Acting Director in the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs, Mr Christian Mmusi, outlined government programmes aimed at empowering young people and revealed that the ministry was in the process of remodelling the Youth Development Fund (YDF).

Mr Mmusi said while the fund had contributed to the creation of about 29 000 jobs, challenges remained, particularly regarding loan repayments by beneficiaries.

He said the ministry was reviewing the programme to improve its effectiveness and sustainability.

During a panel discussion, Music Lecturer and ambassador Ms Chedza Pansiri encouraged young people to leverage Botswana’s culture and heritage as economic assets capable of generating employment and business opportunities.

“Talent can be turned into income, but talent alone is not enough if it is not backed by value,” she said.

Other speakers urged participants to embrace digital technologies and position themselves to benefit from opportunities in the growing digital economy instead of using technology merely for entertainment.

The workshop formed part of ongoing efforts by government and local leadership to engage young people on issues affecting their livelihoods while promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and economic participation. ENDS