30 Sep 2026

Grace and purpose merged in Gaborone West on Friday as First Lady Kaone Boko and her Mozambican counterpart, Madame Gueta Chapo, united to uplift the community. ‎ ‎The two First Ladies distributed maternal care packs and educational materials, directly empowering young mothers to build brighter futures for themselves and their children. ‎ ‎Advocating for positive parenting, First Lady Boko called on the Gaborone West community to work together to create safe and nurturing environments for healthy childhood development. ‎ ‎"To all young mothers here today, I want you to know that we see you, we hear you and you are not walking this journey alone," she said. ‎ ‎Also gracing the occasion was Vice President and Member of Parliament for Gaborone Bonnington South, Ndaba Gaolathe, who extended gratitude to both First Ladies for their compassion. ‎ ‎He acknowledged Gaborone West Clinic healthcare workers for providing primary support to young parents and encouraged community leaders and parents to collaborate with government in creating healthier and more prosperous societies. ‎ ‎"The government believes that every child deserves a healthy start in life and every mother deserves the highest standard of care, regardless of their age, background or financial situation," he said. ‎ ‎Ms Martha Bagopi, a young mother from the area, shared her emotional journey of first-time motherhood and the honour of hosting both First Ladies. ‎ ‎"You may read all the books, but nothing prepares you for the actual reality. Some days felt like I was floating on cloud nine, while on others I was just trying to remember what my last meal was," she said. ‎ ‎She thanked the First Ladies for visiting the community and challenged them to help name her unborn child. ‎ ‎The event was also attended by the Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs, Ms Lesego Chombo, and the Mayor of Gaborone, Mr Oarabile Motlaleng. ‎ ‎The visit concluded with the presentation of curated care packages containing essential nursery supplies and a post-partum and newborn care guide focusing on emotional reassurance and a survival support directory. ‎ ‎The visit formed part of the Mpepu Programme, an initiative of First Lady Boko which advocates for early childhood development, child protection and positive parenting. ENDS