YOUTH PROGRAMME FACILITATES JOURNEY TO ADULTHOOD

May 2021.

Over 100 youth from the North West communities of Kanaga and Kgakala, commenced a six-month development programme, to assist them navigate their journey to adulthood.

These youth participants engaged in a guided programme, which helped them to voice their frustrations and challenges that they face.  The ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) sessions are tailored to inspire youth participants, who are given the skills to manage to find their own unique solutions.

“Of the many challenges faced by the youth, child headed households, teen pregnancy, lack of adequate education and youth development programmes were top of the list as presented by the young participants themselves,” explained Tshepo Kgoloane, Community Operations Manager for Bokamoso Solar, who has funded this extensive programme.

The overall objective of this programme is for each and every participant to access the life skills needed to navigate their journey to maturity as well as to give these youth the opportunity and access to information that is otherwise unavailable to them.

‘We are all 100% behind this programme.  It made us think differently and give us hope.  We lost hope and were mostly depressed, but now we are excited and hungry for more information and opportunities,” said one of the participants, who chose to comment anonymously.

The two sessions were held in Kanana, at the Kanana Community Art Centre; and two Kgakala youth groups were hosted at a central venue in Leeudoringstad, just 3 km from Kgakala.

This programme funding forms part of Bokamoso Solar’s Socio-Economic Development, which benefits a large number of communities, spread within a 50km radius project’s site. The programme includes a focus on education, youth development, health, food security, welfare and local enterprise development.