YWCA celebrates 50 years

Baboki Kayawe
Staff Writer | Tuesday August 21, 2012 00:00

The organisation, which enjoyed a substantial following of around 3,000 members in its formative years, is down to just 500 members. At a media briefing ahead of the celebrations, YWCA national executive director, Botswelelo John said nowadays people want returns on the time they invest in any activity. She said part of their strategic positioning is to recruit more unemployed and disadvantaged women to equip them with life skills.

The organisation, whose membership is made up of women from all Christianity sects, exists to address social economic imbalances. 'We seek to empower women and youth to participate in socio-economic development for improved livelihoods,' she said. Moreover, she said it is worrisome that women do two-thirds of the world's work, yet they receive 10 percent of the world's income and own one percent of the means of production.

Over the years, YWCA has contributed in the education sector through helping students to progress from junior certificate level to senior secondary education as well as offering supplementary learning to those who did not perform well at senior school level at a tuition fee ranging from P2,000 to P2,400. YWCA has a centre which houses a 56-room hostel facility for young women facing challenges in life.  She said one of their major successes was a childcare centre, which YWCA established at a time when the education policy stipulated that when a female student drops out of school, she has to stay home for a whole year. She said the centre enabled young women to continue with their studies while their children were being taken care of in the centre. Unfortunately, the programme has since come to a halt as the cost was prohibitive.

Prior to the anniversary, YWCA will host a fundraising dinner, a Court of Injustice, a sponsored walk and a gender transformative march. The anniversary is a time to reflect on the organisation's achievements, challenges, opportunities and lessons learnt during its 50 years of existence.