Millions Set Aside For Refurbishment Of Youth Centres

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

A further P454,000 has been set aside to refurbish a 95- hectares farm project near Mmankgodi.

The project is known as Sechaba Youth Agricultural Enterprise (SYAE). The farm was allocated to the BNYC for utilisation as a youth empowerment platform.

Goitse Mpolokang, the national coordinator at the BNYC said the P8 million is meant for youth recreational centres in Gaborone, Kasane, Kachikau, Letlhakane and Gantsi. The funds were granted by the Ministry of Youth Sport and Culture.

Amongst others, the project entails setting up governance and management structures, developing sports grounds for football, volleyball, basketball netball and tennis, as well as procurement of gymnastics facilities, information technology, edutainment and recreational equipment.

Mpolokang said the project comes from the recommendations of a ministerial task force appointed to resuscitate youth centres as a way of providing  recreational and leisure facilities.

'Government has taken a position that other centres which fall directly under BNYC shall be as well funded, after successful completion of Phase 1 project funding,' she said at the Saturday meeting.

Speaking about the Mmankgodi farm, Mpolokang said the initiative is to promote agro-business and cottage industries by establishing vegetable gardens, rearing high yielding milk goats, piggery, poultry and promotion of farming cooperatives.

She said the BNYC is hopeful that the P454,000 remitted by the government for the farming project will be augmented to meet further costs.