Youths excoriate BNYC for 'routine oversight'

EPHRAIM KEORENG
Staff Writer | Wednesday December 15, 2010 00:00

Speaking at a ceremony to launch Botswana Youth Leaders' Tool-kit in Gaborone yesterday, a youth activist from the Kgalagadi District, Johnson Morotsi, said he was 'rudely shocked' to find that though he and other youths had actively participated 'in the development and editorial work in the making of this toolkit, there is no mention or acknowledgement of our contribution'.

'I don't even see our picture here,' Morotsi said.  'We should be sitting at the top table and being toasted for a job well done.  Instead we see people who did not partake in the toolkit being recognised.'

Morotsi said he had observed a disturbing trend where authorities go around the country and engage youths like him to draft 'wonderful youth development programmes' only to be sidelined, while 'people who have no idea what the programmes are all about' are brought forward.

'That is why the youth are lagging behind in development and other issues,' he said.   'We contributed in this toolkit, but the way we are being overlooked, I suspect if you went through the document, you would not see our names anywhere.'The unexpected attack on the event organisers, BNYC, prompted one of its officials to say the editorial team, including Morotsi, would be mentioned in the vote of thanks.  Only after the 'attack' were they accordingly mentioned. Meanwhile, a youth from Hukuntsi said the toolkit was a welcome development, but urged that it be translated into Sekgalagadi so as to serve young people in her district.

Speaking at the same ceremony, the interim director of BNYC, Lesego Marope-Sepato, said the toolkit was in line with government's efforts to encourage young people to participate in their own development and their communities.

She said she was hopeful that the toolkit will rejuvenate 'the spirit of youth empowerment, community development and self-reliance among young people'.

'BNYC is assured of the commitment (of the government) to support the implementation of this toolkit driven-projects by the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture and its structures,' she said.

'Hence we call upon all business organs, donors and other stakeholders to do the same because the government cannot afford it alone.'

Marope-Sepato said the aim of the toolkit was to provide practical advice and guidance to both the youth and youth workers to facilitate effective youth participation and community development.

She said Botswana was faced with a lot of challenges that hampered progress in youth development and that the toolkit 'seeks to respond to these challenges'.

'For instance, lack of skills in project planning, design and development is a common challenge among our youth,' she said.  'Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for projects are also inadequate.

'This toolkit (is important) because it will respond to these shortcomings and ensure that a lot of young people's businesses prosper.'