Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs, Honourable Lesego Chombo, met with young people at Kgosi Mpe Junior Secondary School in Jwaneng yesterday afternoon as part of her ongoing youth engagement tour. The engagement gave learners an opportunity to hear directly from a national leader about their role in shaping Botswana’s future. Minister Chombo used the occasion to encourage young people to recognise their value, believe in themselves and develop confidence in their abilities. Her message focused on the importance of self-awareness, personal growth and taking responsibility for the kind of country young people want to build. The interaction also placed young people at the centre of Botswana’s development, reminding them that their ideas, talents and choices will influence the nation’s future.
Addressing the learners, Minister Chombo delivered a powerful message about their importance to Botswana, asking them to consider what kind of innovators they want to become. “There is no Botswana without you. You are going to be the innovators of Botswana, but what kind of innovators are you going to be?” she asked. The question challenged the learners to think beyond their current circumstances and consider the contribution they can make as future professionals, entrepreneurs, leaders and innovators. Rather than viewing young people simply as beneficiaries of government programmes, the Minister presented them as active participants in the country’s development. Her message encouraged the learners to understand that the future of Botswana will depend partly on how they use their education, creativity and individual abilities.
Minister Chombo reminded the young people that they are special and that Botswana’s future rests in their hands. She encouraged them to begin building the Botswana they want to see instead of waiting for someone else to create the future on their behalf. This requires young people to believe in themselves, understand who they are and develop confidence in what they can achieve. Self-belief can influence how learners approach education, personal challenges and opportunities as they grow into adulthood. By encouraging learners to recognise their own potential, the Minister placed personal responsibility and confidence at the centre of her youth development message.
The Minister also placed strong emphasis on self-awareness, encouraging the learners to know who they are while recognising that personal identity can develop over time. She explained that knowing yourself does not mean that you cannot change, because change is a normal part of life. Young people experience many transitions as they move through school, develop new interests and discover their strengths and weaknesses. What matters, according to the message shared with the learners, is making choices that lead to positive growth and a better version of themselves. This perspective gives young people room to learn from their experiences without believing that their current circumstances must permanently define who they will become.
The focus on positive change is particularly relevant for learners who are still developing their confidence, ambitions and understanding of the world around them. Young people can face uncertainty when making decisions about education, careers, relationships and their personal futures. Encouraging them to understand themselves while remaining open to change can help them approach these decisions with greater confidence and responsibility. It also reinforces the importance of learning from mistakes rather than allowing setbacks to determine their sense of worth. Minister Chombo’s message therefore extended beyond academic success and encouraged the learners to think about the character, values and attitudes they want to develop.
The youth engagement tour also highlights the value of direct communication between young people and government leaders. Visiting schools gives policymakers an opportunity to listen to learners while allowing young people to hear directly about their importance in national development. These engagements can create space for conversations about the aspirations, challenges and opportunities facing younger generations. For learners, meeting a government minister can also make national leadership feel more accessible and demonstrate that their voices and experiences matter. Meaningful youth engagement can contribute to stronger connections between young people, government institutions and the broader development priorities of Botswana.
Minister Chombo’s call for young people to become innovators also points to the growing importance of creativity and problem-solving in Botswana’s future. Innovation does not only belong to people working in technology or science, as young people can find new ways to address challenges across education, business, agriculture, healthcare, the creative industries and community development. The important question is how young people choose to apply their skills and ideas to problems around them. Encouraging innovation at school level can help learners develop curiosity, resilience and the confidence to explore solutions. It can also encourage them to see themselves as contributors to economic and social development rather than simply future job seekers.
The Minister’s message further places responsibility on young people to take ownership of the country they want to inherit. Building a stronger Botswana will require young citizens who are willing to learn, work hard, develop their abilities and participate constructively in their communities. Confidence is important, but it must be matched with discipline, preparation and a willingness to improve. Young people who understand their strengths while remaining open to learning can adapt as circumstances change and new opportunities emerge. The message delivered at Kgosi Mpe Junior Secondary School therefore encouraged learners to connect their personal development with the wider responsibility of contributing to Botswana.
The interaction in Jwaneng ultimately carried a simple but important message: young people should trust themselves, believe in their potential and understand that they have a role to play in shaping Botswana’s future. Minister Lesego Chombo’s engagement with learners placed confidence, self-knowledge and positive change at the heart of that message. Her call for young people to become innovators challenges them to think carefully about the contribution they want to make and the kind of citizens they want to become. The emphasis on change also reminds learners that growth is a continuous process and that they can improve themselves through experience, learning and deliberate choices. By reminding them that Botswana is them, the Minister left the young people with a clear responsibility to believe in their abilities and use their potential to help build the country they want to see.
