Youth Development Fund cut-off age remains 35

The Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development (MYESC) this week dismissed claims that the age limit for assistance from the ministry from the Youth Development Fund (YDF) is 29. They say the limit remains age 35. There has been a recent form circulating on social media, where many young people are active, claiming that the cut-off age is 29. MYSEC recently released the YDF application guidelines and forms for the latest applications that will be scrutinised for the next batch of beneficiaries, which begin in April.

The brief communiqué from the ministry advised the public to “kindly ignore that and access the new form from the ministry website.” YDF releases funds for up to one million Pula for a range of projects from farming to the arts. The aim of the Fund, which has been in existence for almost a decade now, is to promote active participation of youth in the country’s socio-economic development, as well as leverage aims to reduce youth unemployment through encouraging youth to submit proposals for projects that can be conceptualized and implemented by youth with the a clear path for employing other unemployed young Batswana. Youth are encouraged to submit proposals for projects or businesses that are sustainable and viable.

Another critical requirement is that the applicant should posses the relevant knowledge, experience or skills for the proposed project or business. YDF is open to Batswana aged between 18 and 35 who are unemployed, underemployed or out of school with a legally registered company owned by only Batswana youth. Parliament recently heard that the fund has benefitted more than 100 projects across the country since its inception. Youth who have benefitted from the Out-of-School grant, Financial Assistance Programme, Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) and KBL Kickstart are not eligible for this financial boost.