Africa-Press – Botswana. The National Mindset Youth Activation Campaign on Saturday saw the youth gathered in various locations around the country to share their understanding of the mindset change initiative launch by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi recently.
Launching the campaign in Zutshwa recently, the President implored Batswana to introspect and change the way they had been doing things in order to improve their lives and living conditions.
The subsequent Saturday youth activation campaign held at For the Road Complex in Takatokwane saw young people come together, share experiences and discuss a way forward now that they fully embrace the mindset change initiative and its impact on their lives.
One Keaobaka Jonas narrated how his life was nearly destroyed as a result of using marijuana and finding himself locked up in a jail cell.
“I am a victim of the use of marijuana and stopping it was quite a challenge.
I had to visit several clinics looking for help.
At the beginning it may seem like you are living a good high life, but the end is bad as marijuana has no mercy when it gets into the system,” he said.
Mr Jonas thus advised the youth to stop smoking, especially marijuana and have control over what they did with their lives and avoid peer pressure, which led to gratuitous and undeserved ending.
Another youth, Mr Botshondi Pelaelo, known as DJ Socrates, spoke on the issue of gender-based violence and how it crippled lives of those involved.
He advised the youth to desist from acts that led to gender-based violence and choose peace and amicable discussions over their challenges.
“Killing and beating women and girls will only land one in prison,” he said.
He added that the youth had great potential and therefore should fully embrace the mindset change initiative and find better ways of dealing with their problems, adding that ‘there is always light at the end of the tunnel’.
For Mr Pontsho Ramatebele, the launch of the mindset change campaign indicated that government had identified some pitfalls that hindered growth and development.
“The campaign intends to give direction to Batswana on what they need to improve in order to change their lives for the better,” Mr Ramatebele said.
He indicated that the Takatokwane area had been blessed with some natural resources that the community, especially the youth could use to improve the local economy.
“There are pans around the village which can be used for recreational activities and the youth can group themselves and take advantage of available programmes,” he added.
However, he opined that mindset change remained the responsibility of an individual and those who embraced the campaign would get to the new level of understanding as they opened up to new knowledge of the change they needed to experience new things.
For his part, the youth activation campaign organiser, Mr Ogaufi Radingaka explained that the activations aimed to reach out to the youth, particularly those found at popular drinking joints.
“The mindset change campaign is loaded and the youth can benefit greatly if they embrace it for their own benefit.
It looks at all sectors and implores all people to re-look and re-think their individual ways of life and change that which delayed them from reaching their destiny,” he said.
He added that the youth had always been found at the wrong places and making bad decisions that hindered progress in their lives, and the mindset change initiative challenged them to start making better decisions that would propel them to a better future.
“Those involved in sport under different codes can commit themselves and seriously use sport to change their lives,” he said.
Kgosi Visco Tsiane of Takatokwane said the mindset change initiative came at an opportune time when the youth were going astray and needed to reset so that they could view things differently.
“The campaign therefore needs to be taken seriously as it has the potential to change the lives of people if they hold on to it as it remains their responsibility to re-think their way of life.
Changing the mindset is the responsibility of the youth and all Batswana to re-think their lives and change their way of thinking and begin to do things better,” he said.
He added that the youth had been largely affected by bad decisions, which led to startling circumstances, which many a times led to some lives cut short.
Meanwhile, another youth activation was held at Dinaledi Bar in Letlhakeng where young people came in large numbers to share their views, experiences and discuss the way forward.
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