Batswana Youth Tour Four Countries

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Monday August 9, 2010 00:00

The young people have been attending exchange programs in Denmark, Malawi, Egypt, while another trip to Mexico is set for August 23.

Acting executive secretary at the BNYC, Sewedi Proper Mokgadi, says just last week they sent a team of six young people, led by BNYC treasurer, Andy Boatile, for the African Youth Camp.

The team arrived in Alexandria on Thursday last week and proceeded to Cairo early Friday, where Gofaone Babui says it took them six hours to finally go to the hotel.

'Our team leader had to phone Mokgadi back in Botswana for communication purposes as people at the airport did not seem to speak English at all,' she disclosed. 

'There was no one waiting to receive us at the airport and we later learnt that the people who were supposed to come and pick us actually thought that we were arriving on Friday,' Babue told The Monitor

'It is true that one of our team members was scheduled to arrive at Alexandria on Friday, a day later than us, but it would seem the Egyptian officials assumed that all of us would be arriving on Friday,' Babue said.

'Luckily, Mokgadi was available back in Botswana and he managed to get in contact with our hosts here, but we were beginning to panic especially after six hours stranded at the airport,' he continued.

The BNYC treasurer who led the team said there were communication problems between the embassies. 'We are fine now. The facilities are great.

They have everything a young person can think of and the hosts have told the guests to enjoy themselves. It is Friday here which is like our Sunday back home. It is not a working day today.

Teams from various countries are still arriving,' Babue added.

Babue says it has been smooth sailing since then, and they were able to travel to Cairo on Friday without hitches. 'I have just unpacked my bags and I am getting ready for lunch.

The accommodation facility looks nice.  I am told officials from the Botswana embassy in Cairo are scheduled to meet us here as well', said the young man. The team returns home on August 14.

Meanwhile also last week a team of 12 youth, including BNYC officials, Moabi and Desmond Bakgobi travelled to Malawi on a Youth Exchange Programme which ends on August 9th.

The exchange programme is in partnership with Jammerbugt Ungsdomsskole of Denmark, Youth Net & Counselling (YONECO) of Malawi and Association ACV of Portugal.

Another exchange programme saw the Capacity Building Manager, Tibapi Gucha leaving for Denmark also on the Youth Acting

Towards the end of this month the BNYC's executive committee chairperson, Chomi Letlole, and the acting Executive Director, Mokgadi will be attending the World Youth Conference in Leon, Mexico. The conference, which is a United Nations organisation event will run from August 23- 27.