Prime minister Samuel Matekane this week launched a youth empowerment initiative aptly named ‘SEBABATSO’, which means a marvel.
This at a time when the country is faced with unemployment, high crime rates, and gender-based violence which have cast shadows on Basotho people, particularly those in rural areas.
In the face of these vices, a large section of young people remains unemployed and their energies and aspirations untapped.
This is where SEBABATSO comes in; it stands for embracing sustainable development and empowerment of young innovators and entrepreneurs and is a blueprint for success.
The initiative will create a national platform for the youth to showcase their businesses and talents annually, with his presence, investors’, development partners, the private sector and all organisations and individuals who would like to be a part of this initiative.
It will further forge collaborations with potential investors and mentors to ensure the youth enterprises grow beyond boundaries.
The young population of Lesotho accounts for nearly 40 percent of the country’s total population, and this group constitutes the country’s most productive asset – human capital. However, almost half of this capital is not fully used, with the 40 percent of youth not in employment, education, or training.
For decades there has been a lack of youth participation and women involvement in Lesotho, influencing economic-policy decisions in the country of Lesotho.
We laud the new initiative and hope it will go a long way towards promoting active participation of young people in the economy and overall development of Lesotho.
