OMGE ONE – The Khwe community at Omega 1 settlement in the heart of Bwabwata National Park is pleading with the government to revive the Omega agricultural project, which was abandoned in the 90s.
When this publication recently visited the area, the community took the opportunity to expose their challenges.
They showed New Era the implements of an agriculture project that put food on their tables, which had been left to rot, with its buildings falling apart.
The marginalised community believes that if the project is revived, their fate could change and through the project, they could find a livelihood.
“When it comes to employment, the youths in Omega are left out. We are suffering,” said Sabbo Maskien, an unemployed youth.
“If they can revive the abandoned agriculture project, things can turn out differently for us. At least we can work there with our elders,” he said.
The young people further called on the ministry of health to consider them for malaria-spraying programmes in their area.
“Once the malaria-spraying programme is out, they always bring in youths from outside our area to come and work, which we are not happy about because we have many youths here who went up to grades 10 and 12, but have nothing to d. So if we can be trained on how to spray, we can do it. This time, we are asking that the councillor look into the matter that whenever this malaria-spraying programme vacancies are out, they must get youths within our areas,” he noted.
Maskien said some little or temporary opportunities must assist youths, as it does not look good to them when youths from far away are brought to work in their area while they watch.
“Let youths who are coming from elsewhere work where they are. There are no employment opportunities for us here. There’s really nothing. Can these projects empower us?” he questioned.
David Madjundo, another unemployed youth, said he was worried about the rate of unemployment in their area.
“My concern is just unemployment that is haunting us youths in Omega. Some have gone as far as vocational training institutions – but after that, nothing is going on here. We see no opportunities – not even a government project to empower us. We are just in the location,” he said.
Another young person, Getrude Andreas, said the situation is worse for girls, as they now must struggle to feed their children.
“We turn to alcohol because we have nothing to do. Some of us dropped out of school very early, and now we are struggling. We want to be given equipment to start a gardening project to try and make ends meet.
“If our government can establish a Green Scheme project, it will really help us here. Youths will be kept busy, and desist spending their time on unnecessary activities like alcohol,” she noted.
has been waiting since 10 September for a response from the agriculture ministry, who are the custodians of the said government farm.
To date, no response has been given to questions sent to the ministry, despite several follow-ups.