Africa-Press – Botswana. At just 20 years old, Mr Andrew Kgosiemang is determined to shape young people into a better better society.
Born and raised in Molepolole, Mr Kgosiemang has taken it upon himself to instill strong moral values in the country’s youth through his organisation, Beacon Youth Foundation. Through the foundation, Kgosiemang and his team target school-going children, conducting impactful sessions aimed at fostering grounded character and positive behaviour.
“We go around schools equipping them with tools that can help them have a grounded character because a child cannot excel whilst he or she is ill-mannered,” he explained.
His outreach efforts have seen him engaging with students across Molepolole and extending as far as Gaborone, where he recently spoke to students at Botho University. An alumnus of Kgari Sechele II Senior Secondary School (KSII), class of 2022, Mr Kgosiemang envisions a Botswana admired for its good morals, free from social issues like gender-based violence (GBV).
“We want to see a Botswana where good morals are celebrated. This is essential to quash incidences of GBV,” he said.
Beacon Youth Foundation aims to develop self-confidence among boys and girls, equipping them to confront social challenges head-on. He highlighted the vulnerability of youth today, especially in Molepolole, to peer pressure and social influences.
“They are easily shaken because they are confused by what choices are best for them,” he explained.
His organisation’s impactful sessions serve as enlightenment for students, helping them realise that they should avoid bad influences and understand the transient nature of friendships. Kgosiemang emphasised that children often idolised friends, sometimes at the expense of their own morals, forgetting that friendships were temporary.
As a former deputy head boy at KSII, he advocates the strategy of ngwana o ruta ngwana ,believing it effectively conveys messages through peer-to-peer engagement. He also observed that students found it easier to open up about their problems when talking to peers rather than elders.
Additionally, he highlighted issues of inequality within schools, with many students feeling uncomfortable expressing themselves due to gender imbalances in favour of females. Kgosiemang’s youthful strategic approach herald a promising future for youth empowerment and social reform in Botswana. His dedication signifies hope for a nation striving to uphold strong morals and social harmony amid contemporary challenges.
He said his stratagey did miracles upon addressing Form 3 learners at Masilo Junior Secondary School last year who were notorious of failure and mischief and upon that encounter with the learners, they were transformed from never-do-wells into Kweneng region’s champions of excellence in this year’s Junior Certificate Examinations.
This, he said had encouraged him to conduct more sessions countrywide. However, he said his wits were amplified by Mr Phetso Kgosiemang who is the man behind Class Volunteers’ Foundation. He said he was moved by the way Molepolole was percieved as the hub of murder and GBV. Despite the workload that he carried, he said he has not yet engaged other members to join him in this journey of advocating for a sound behavioural change.
“Currently, I solely run the foundation. I do not want to just engage people, because the plan is to build the foundation first. As an organisation, you must ensure that recruit people for the betterment of the organisation as well as the country. You do not call anyone who cannot make any impact for the organisation to prosper and strive for change of the society,” he said.
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