Volume 52 Issue 10 - October 2014 : Feature

Kutlwano: Good morning kgosi.

Kgosi Xhau:  Good Morning.

Kutlwano: Can you briefly share the history of your village, Qabo? 

Kgosi Xhau: Yes! The people here are of Basarwa descent who were initially resided and worked in farms owned by white people. But in the 1980s they requested for a place of their own. However, some refused to leave the farms at the time. In 1984/1986 they requested to be relocated to Kuke but at the time Kuke was designated a cattle quarantine because of the outbreak of foot and mouth cattle disease. Upon this realisation, we continued to look for a place and in 1995/1996 we identified Qabo and it was agreed that people relocate from Kuke to Qabo. This is a derivative from two Sesarwa dialects; Senaro and Sekaukau which simultaneously translates to mean ‘a bigger, open area`.

Kutlwano: What is the population of your village and what economic activities are here?

Kgosi Xhau:  762 people, most of whom make a living out of Ipelegeng. Others enter arts and culture competitions. Others have enrolled for government poverty eradication scheme and have ventured into such projects as bakery, welding, sewing and so forth. others are still undergoing training under the poverty eradication programme.

Kutlwano: Recently, masses thronged your village on a poverty eradication crusade, how has that benefitted your people?

Kgosi Xhau:  We were happy to be chosen as the host village. That alone has been beneficial to my village because the 70km gravel road from Ghanzi to our village which was full of potholes and dangerous to use was rehabilitated. Also, the Ministry of Education Skills and Development donated books, school uniforms and footballs to our primary school. Further, the yard where the poverty eradication crusade was held was constructed and it can be useful to the community. Again, the fact that they spent the day with us was enough to boost our moral… and for the first time I saw radio which I had no idea of how it looks.  Further, we have learnt from exhibitors of the day to understand how things are done. It was indeed an eye opening experience.

Kutlwano: ooh, really?

Kgosi Xhau: Yes! 

Kutlwano: I see… As I travel around your village, I notice many green backyard gardens…

Kgosi Xhau: (he hastens to answer before I could complete my sentence) Majority of people here have taken up backyard gardening and are using Water Utilities (Corporation) facilities to water them but the problem is that they have nowhere to sell their vegetables. I wish these people could be grouped together at the yard which was made for the event so that they produce in large quantities. This can help since that way they can supply well established supermarkets. 

Kutlwano: Kgosi, when you compare life before the recent poverty eradication gathering in your village and life now, what has changed?

Kgosi Xhau:  Life is not that much different because we still had ongoing poverty eradication projects. I expected about 50 of our people who had enrolled for training under the programme to be given projects but that was not the case. To date they have not been given projects. Had they taken those projects maybe things would be completely different. 

Kutlwano: Some critics have dismissed this government flagship poverty eradication programme as a waste of government funds, what is your position on this matter?

Kgosi Xhau:  This programme is very, very important to us, it helps us a lot in our daily lives. Therefore, it is very important for us to try our best to make use of these programmes because they are relevant to our lives. It is up to us to work hard to make sure they work for us so that we move from where we are to another level. If I can give an example, right now people who have never had a bank account have opened accounts. Batho ba setse ba kgona go ikgogela ko di bankeng ba bula di account.

Kutlwano: Given the small population of your village and its proximity to the market, what do you envision for the economic development of your village? 

Kgosi Xhau:  I wish that Batswana could come up with businesses which can employ young people or buy their products. 

Kutlwano: As we now come towards the end of our interview, what are your last words?

Kgosi Xhau: I wish officers could teach our young people about the Youth Development Fund (YDF) programme. They must explain to them how the programme works and show them how to fill in the form. This perhaps will assist to curb youth unemployment.

Kutlwano: I thank you for your time.

Kgosi Xhau:  Thank you… 

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