18th December 2025
Youth Elev8 Botswana was today unveiled by stakeholders as a fresh and innovative approach to youth empowerment because it goes beyond identifying problems — it creates pathways. It does not treat young people merely as beneficiaries, but as partners in development.
It recognises that Botswana’s youth possess talent, ideas, energy, and ambition. What they often lack is access, guidance, and opportunity — and this programme is designed to bridge that gap.
Tlokweng Member of Parliament and member of the ruling Umbrella for Democratic Change(UDC) Phenyo Segokgo, said “It gives me immense pride and deep satisfaction to stand before you at the official launch of Youth Elev8 Botswana, here in the Tlokweng Constituency. Across Botswana, and indeed here in Tlokweng, we are confronted by serious and pressing challenges affecting our youth.”
He said, “These include high levels of unemployment, limited access to economic opportunities, social pressures, mental health challenges, substance abuse, and, for some, a growing sense of hopelessness. These are not abstract statistics — they are lived realities faced by families, communities, and leaders every single day.”
Segokgo stressed that the responsibility of leaders is clear. “We must respond — not with words alone, but with practical, innovative, and sustainable solutions that restore hope, unlock potential, and create real opportunities,” said Segokgo.
The programme’s three-pronged approach speaks directly to the real needs of young people by combining mentorship, skills development, entrepreneurship, technology, and access to procurement opportunities.
This holistic model empowers youth not only to dream, but to act — and to succeed. From a government perspective, initiatives such as Youth Elev8 Botswana are invaluable.
They complement existing government policies and programmes by strengthening partnerships, reducing duplication, and ensuring that interventions reach young people where they are.
Kgosi Puso Gaborone, said “I was 31 years when I was thrust in leadership.” He said, “Over the years I have seen youth development as a result of people intervention. There is a relationship between leadership and the people you lead.
Gaborone revealed that when you develop the youth you are also developing the family, the community and the country. He maintained that everybody has a talent. It just needed to be nurtured.
Importantly, this programme aligns strongly with Botswana’s Vision 2036, particularly the national aspirations for human and social development. And indeed aspirations towards inclusive economic growth, and meaningful citizen participation. Government cannot — and should not — work alone.
Sustainable development happens when government, the private sector, civil society, and communities work together.
“It places Tlokweng at the forefront of a national movement that will expand across other constituencies and culminate in a National Youth Elev8 Summit in 2026,” said Segokgo.
Officials insist that the investment in youth empowerment is an investment in Botswana’s long-term stability, economic growth, and social cohesion. While the returns may not always be immediate, they are profound and enduring.
“Today feels special. Not because we are launching a programme — but because we are opening a door. Youth Elev8 Botswana did not begin in a boardroom. It began in conversations. In WhatsApp voice notes. In late-night talks with young people who kept saying the same thing in different ways: “We are trying… but we don’t know where to turn,” said Tebogo Moribame-Setiko, Youth Elev8 Botswana, National Co-ordinator.
She said, “We saw young people with qualifications but no opportunities. With ideas but no networks. With energy but no direction. And slowly, a painful question kept coming back to us: How did a generation so full of potential become so tired? That question is why Youth Elev8 Botswana exists today. We realised something very simple — inspiration without structure is cruelty. You cannot keep telling young people to “dream big” and then leave them standing alone in the dark.””
Moribame-Setiko stressed that young people in Botswana do not only need motivation.
“They need pathways. Youth Elev8 Botswana is our attempt to light those pathways. We built this initiative to connect what has been separated for too long — youth and mentors, ideas and markets, talent and opportunity. Let me tell you how we are doing that,” said Moribame-Setiko.
She said, “The first pillar of our program is mentorship and leadership. Because before we talk about businesses, we must talk about people. Many young people don’t fail because they are incapable — they fail because no one ever walked beside them and said, “I’ve been here. Let me show you the way.” You got this! Mentorship restores something deeply human — guidance, belief, and courage. The second pillar is business match-making through a digital platform.”
Youth Elev8 is about visibility. Too many youth businesses are invisible — working hard in the shadows. We are saying: Come forward. Be seen. We will connect you to people who can open doors, ask the right questions, and help turn ideas into sustainable ventures.
“And the third pillar is enterprise development through procurement. This is where the talk becomes real. Where our vision is to see Government and Private sector direct most of their procurement towards youth led enterprises. That is where we want this to go. We want Youth Elev8 Botswana to become a living ecosystem — not an event, not a once-off programme, but a movement that grows with the youth it serves,” said Setiko.
She said, “ Tlokweng is where we plant the seed. From here, we move to other constituencies, and ultimately to a national summit in 2026. We are thinking long-term. We are thinking generationally. To the youth of Tlokweng, let me speak plainly. This programme will not change your life by magic. But it can change your direction — if you show up.”
