Non-Governmental organisation, Botoka Foundation will at the end of this month host the Ngamiland Careers Expo, which is aimed at improving the livelihoods of Ngamiland rural communities through educational support.
The Expo which is expected to empower, educate, motivate and widen perspectives of attendees will be held on May 30th to 31st at The Life Centre in Maun. The event which will be held under the theme, “Pathways to Success: Learn, Connect, Thrive,” aims to be a game changer in the region.
Brought in partnership with Ether Institute and Pula Leadership Studio, the expo will target Form 3 and Form 5 students and expose them to potential career paths as they prepare for senior secondary school and tertiary education respectively.
The organisers anticipate that over 2,300 students will attend the expo, gaining valuable insights into their future careers. Additionally, graduates, job seekers, career changers, young entrepreneurs, parents, and teachers are encouraged to also participate.
“There will also be different workshops on both days, running concurrently with the exhibition for both learners and out-of-school youth, focusing on mindset and identity, goal setting, self and relationship/sexual health, and financial literacy, to name a few. We also plan to have a Human Resource Clinic running on the 31st May to assist the out-of-school youth in reviewing CVs and answering any HR related questions,” Botoka Foundation Programs Manager, Mmabatho Prisca Mpyane said in an interview.
Mpyane said the initiative came after the realisation that children in the region have very little exposure to other careers. “There is a wide variety of careers besides tourism and what they already know, such as teaching, nursing, general medicine, defence and security, which we want to expose them to,” said Mpyane,
She added that Ngamiland communities continue to hold onto limited cultural perspectives, and as the organizers of the Ngamiland Careers Expo they want to change this narrative through the event.
For her part Founder of Botoka Foundation, Nthati Phoi said they aspire to be the guiding hand that helps their beneficiaries to uncover their passions, provide an opportunity for them to explore and understand the diverse opportunities available, and to ultimately make informed decisions about their future. “We wish to show them that there is a whole world out there that they are unaware of,” highlighted Phoi.
The Ngamiland Careers Expo will put together different stakeholders under one roof to educate the learners of the different career choices and paths. Tertiary institutions and Universities, Business Community, career bodies in different government departments, Law Firms, Financial Institutions, Aviation, Doctors, Regulatory bodies such as Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) and Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), The Department of Tertiary Education Funding (DTEF)as well as the Ministry of Education are expected to exhibit and be part of the expo.
