Ministry of Youth engages youth in the North

OGGIE B. MARUAPULA | Tuesday January 19, 2010 00:00

This took place between January 4 and 15, 2010 right across the country.  The interactive orientation sessions outlined the application guidelines and served as well as the checklist. The recently re-formulated Youth Development Fund, which is now in the form of a 50 percent grant and 50 percent loan component, draws from the Youth Development Policy, which defines Youth. Eligibility under the Fund is for those between the ages of 18 to 29. There are other requirements, for example that an applicant be: - out of School; unemployed; or underemployed. There are further qualifications to this, for example underemployed includes persons earning less than P600 per month.

Based on its interests and ingrained development orientation, EBAT Consultants (Pty) Ltd did attend three of such youth business sensitising sessions; one in Gaborone, one in Francistown and one in Tati Siding Village. The Francistown session that took place on January 7 was facilitated by Phemelo Masilo of the Francistown regional youth office, at the Ntshe House-the government integrated office block. The meeting covered a detailed discussion/presentation of the entire application form, the guidelines and providing examples that made it easy for the participants to understand what is expected of them.  It was made very clear that attendance of the orientation sessions was a pre-condition for accepting completed application forms, since in the past; several mistakes were done upon completion of the forms as applicants seemed to have lacked the necessary guidance.

The Tatisiding orientation session took place on January 14, at the main kgotla.  The occasion was attended by village leaders, being the kgosi, councillors, and business community, all supportive of the need to empower the youth.  Due to the importance placed on youth empowerment, despite being on leave, Kgosi Simon Nkgageng availed himself to set the tone, meet the official guests and provide the expected welcome speech. 

Tapologo Lekula from the Francistown regional youth office, representing the North East District youth officer based in Masunga gave the orientation session, which lasted about four hours.  It was made very clear that despite the youth service office for Tati Siding residents being the Masunga office, all Tati Siding youth may get administrative and technical assistance from the Francistown youth office since it is much closer to Tatisiding than Masunga.

However, submission of completed application forms must be done at the Masunga youth office, which will process the applications and monitor all developments pertaining to them.

It was mentioned that last year, a lot of application forms were handed out, but very few of them were completed and returned for assessment. 

According to the department of youth, approval and funding of such submissions should be done by end of March, so that come April 01, the next cycle kicks off.

A maximum of P100, 000 is allowed per project with 50 percent of it treated as a loan repayable over five years.