Kothao, 26, the face of youth misery

Life is so hard for Mosetsanagape Kothao, 26, of Kodibeleng, 25 km east of Shoshong that she fails even to find food for her daughter.

Kothao never went to school and doesn’t know how to write her name. Her parents are no longer able to cater for her needs. She decided at an early age to go and stay at the lands because life was so difficult. “I left school when I was doing Standard II. I didn’t know then that I would eventually suffer in this way,” she said.

At 18, Kothao gave birth to a baby girl who is now her biggest worry. She says that her baby complicates her situation, as she is now forced to fend for two people unlike when she was just alone. She cried that her daughter doesn’t have any clothes. “I have even pleaded with people in my village to help with anything they find useless in their homes,” she cries.

Kothao has often heard about youth programmes on the radio and how they help alleviate people from poverty and misery. So she tried her luck one day in 2013 and applied through her sister for the Youth Development Fund (YDF). “Unfortunately I never received anything from them,” she says sorrowfully. Kothao was hoping that by now her application would have been approved but the long wait has caused her despair. “Last year I did a follow up to check whether they have received my application and what the delay was all about”, she said.

Programme Officer in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Mahalapye Sub District Onkabetse Lemo, said that they receive applications from Shoshong Constituency and there are a number of people who have already benefited from the YDF. He said that 36 people obtained funds to start their own businesses in the year 2014/ 2015 and in 2015/2016 only nine people were given funds.

He said that for the past year around P900 000 was disbursed to applicants that were approved. However Lemo said that they don’t just approve any application. “If we did that even people with no business skills could apply for funding to start a business,” he said.

He noted that before applications are approved they call people for interview and that’s when they will decide. He made it clear that as there are proposals they also consider whether the person applying understands the nature of business he/she is applying for and whether it will be able to make money.

Kodibeleng ward councillor, Banthasetse Merementse is aware of people stricken by poverty in his area and usually encourages them to apply for the development funds so that they improve their lives. As for those that don’t get approved, he said they are always encouraged to  think of something else and apply again.

“During kgotla meetings young people are advised to start small businesses and start strategising on how they could improve their lives”, he said.