By Seleoe Nonyane
Prime minister Sam Matekane has launched a youth empowerment initiative called SEBABATSO.
Speaking at the event on Wednesday this week, Matekane said unemployment, high crime rates, and gender-based violence have cast shadows on Basotho people, particularly those in rural areas.
He said a large section of young people remains unemployed and their energies and aspirations untapped.
Matekane said SEBABATSO embraces sustainable development and empowerment of young innovators and entrepreneurs.
The initiative is the government’s answer to these challenges, its commitment to nurture, and a blueprint for success, he noted.
He said these challenges must be addressed as the world races towards a future powered by Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM).
Matekane disclosed that the project will create a national platform for the youth to showcase their businesses and talents annually. Investors, development partners, the private sector and all organisations and individuals who would like to be a part of this initiative would be invited.
He further explained that SEBABATSO would further forge collaborations with potential investors and mentors to ensure the youth-owned enterprises grow beyond boundaries.
“We will focus on nurturing youth innovators, especially in STEAM, to bring forward solutions for our communities.
“With support from the UN and its agencies, we will prepare our youth entrepreneurs for investment opportunities,” the premier said.
He reiterated that a large section of the young population remains unemployed, with their energies and aspirations untapped, emphasising that this is not merely a statistic but a ticking time bomb.
“It is imperative that we turn this around,” he said.
As indicated in the Lesotho National Youth Policy, he indicated, entrepreneurship is key to unlocking thousands of jobs and drive innovation across sectors.
Matekane said the key is in the hands of young people and the benefits of entrepreneurship go beyond just providing employment.
He warned that in societies where hopelessness and idleness prevail, crime often becomes an escape route.
“By offering our youth an alternative, by showing them that they can be creators of value and agents of positive change, we pull them away from the clutches of criminal activity,” he said.
He added that empowering young men and women through entrepreneurship could help break traditional patriarchal chains.
On behalf of the United Nations (UN), the UN resident coordinator, Amanda Khozi Mukwashi, noted that the UN is a champion of the ideals of sustainable development, inclusivity, and empowerment.
“It brings me immense joy to see those very ideals echoed in the SEBABATSO initiative,” Mukwashi said.
She noted that the Sustainable Development Goals, which aspire to transform the world for the better by 2030, cannot be achieved unless there is a focus on the heartbeat of the nation, which is young people.
“They are not just beneficiaries of these goals; they are partners in achieving them.”
Mukwashi said SEBABATSO brings with it the urgent need to shift from rhetoric to tangible action, in addressing the pressing challenges of unemployment and ensuring that the youth are at the very heart of the nation’s development, citing it is not just a matter of strategy, but of survival.
“Empowering the youth through entrepreneurship isn’t a siloed endeavour but a golden thread that weaves through every facet of the economy.
“When a young person starts a business, it’s not just an avenue for personal income but a potential source of employment for others, a contribution to the country’s gross domestic product, and a beacon of hope for others to follow.
“Every successful young entrepreneur sends out a ripple effect, inspiring others, filling market gaps, and creating value chains that uplift entire communities,” she pointed out.
She added that central to SEBABATSO is the understanding that sustainable development transcends economic growth.
It must encompass resilient food systems, harmony with our environment, the well-being of our communities, and the assurance of social equity.
“Our global food systems are at a crossroads. With the ever-looming threat of climate change, it’s crucial for nations, especially agriculturally-rich countries like Lesotho, to innovate and adapt,” she said, adding that true empowerment is incomplete without recognising humans’ intrinsic relationship with the environment.
On behalf of the youth, activist Tumelo Leboto said he was thankful to the prime minister for this initiative.
He said he believes that when youth in business are empowered, they will be able to address the unemployment crisis of the youth which is estimated at 27 percent.
“Those trained can absorb two each and as a result reduce unemployment,” he noted.
Leboto said as a long-time activist who has been fighting for Basotho, he believes in implementation and not promises.
