Makgato Hails Tau As A Gift To Botswana, Africa
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Monday September 11, 2017 16:19
Addressing the audience at Mmakgosi Live, a poetry night held at Travel Lodge in Gaborone on Friday, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dorcas Makgato pledged to support the poetess, Mmakgosi Tau, a bipolar and depression patient’s initiative to raise awareness on mental health illness through poetry.
“It gives me great honour to have been invited to officiate at this noble occasion; the day which marks a creative explosion of social development, mental health advocacy and personal development through poetry song and fashion, particularly from an individual who has experienced and succeeded in dealing with bipolar and depression.
This is indeed a commendable gesture from Tau because her stories are real, raw and rare,” she said.
Makgato said according to World Health Organisation, mental and behavioural disorders made about eight percent of the global disease burden. She added that likewise, Botswana was also faced with many mental health challenges of the African region.
“It is estimated that at least 36,630 of the population is affected by mental ill health and psychosocial problems as per the Botswana Health Statistics Report 2010,” she noted.
Makgato further explained that 28-year-old Tau was a woman of prayer, purpose, power and passion. Makgato said at Mmakgosi’s age, it was a medical mystery to discover a testimony such as the one the audience gathered to witness where the poetess shared her experience as a mental health patient. She pointed out that the poetess was an exceptional gift to the nation of Botswana and the entire world.
The Minister explained that Mmakgosi’s survival of immense trials, tribulations and mental instability had birthed a tool they long desired to comprehend. She said her strong conviction to artistically and innovatively challenge the myths and status quo with regard to the social perception on mental illness was amazing.
She said she was happy that Mmakgosi had mental illness as that happened for a reason. She said because of her mental illness, Mmakgosi became a teacher, minister and a sister to many. Makgato expressed her admiration to the young poetess’ strength. She said her ability to convert what was seen as negative into something positive was admirable. She said Mmakgosi was an inspiration and mentor tomany.
“Her cause had conjoined collaborative efforts between a youth owned film company, Mystique Botswana Pictures, which has curated her life story and experiences into a Doccie-Reality Television Program, designed to further this mental health awareness activism. Mmakgosi Takes on Africa is a programme coined to sensitise people on mental health issues raising awareness and bringing forth an element of healing through poetry and song,” she said.
The Minister added that the programme gave them the opportunity to map the way forward and focus on how they could best work together with the little resources at their disposal to build increased resilience in the individuals, communities and society in order to give dignity to individuals suffering as a result of mental illness.
She added that it was her mandate to empower voluntary and community agencies like Mmakgosi Takes on Africa, with mental health knowledge to strengthen community participation in health issues and to encourage a positive attitude towards mental health.
Mmakgosi, in collaboration with other poets, urged the gathering to stop discriminating against mentally ill people and rather give them support. Through their emotional verses, the poets shared the challenges that people suffering from mental health illness face.