In late November 2024, Habu’s Kgosi ‘Mod’ Masedi, along with WEA Senior Staffers Kalafo and Joel Kangootui, gathered an eager group of 30 young men and women from Habu for a three-day workshop at a campsite within the proposed Habu Community Conservancy. This workshop was initiated by Kgosi Masedi after village discussions revealed the youth's interest in participating more actively in community development projects. Recognizing this opportunity, Kgosi organized meetings at the Habu kgotla with the youth to plan and prepare for the workshop at one of Habu's local campsites. WEA staff secured funding through the Coexistence program, and the District Commissioner’s Office in Gumare provided tents for the participants. The workshop aimed to achieve the following objectives:
(i) To enhance the awareness and involvement of Habu youth in WEA initiatives in Habu
(i) To evaluate the impacts of WEA projects with the youth group.
(ii) To encourage participation and ownership of the Habu development projects.
(iii) To identify and discuss additional opportunities for small business enterprises
(iv) To register the Habu Youth Committee and compile a list of interests and skills
(v) To motivate young people by exploring small business opportunities and possibilities for collaboration with NGOs.
WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS
On Friday, November 29th, the workshop participants traveled approximately 20km from Habu to the Habu Community Conservancy Campsite to set up their camp.
The chairperson of the Habu Youth Committee initiated the workshop by introducing its purpose, highlighting the significance of Habu youth engaging with the community as future leaders. The group expressed gratitude for the retreat and the opportunity to learn more about WEA projects and other community initiatives. They mentioned feeling previously disconnected from village projects and enterprises, stating they have been excluded and their opinions are seldom heard. At the kgotla, they are rarely given a chance to express their thoughts and seldom attend kgotla meetings. They described this workshop in the bush as a significant step towards inclusion.
Kgosi Masedi began by discussing the VISION developed nearly 10 years ago, which he and others in the Habu Community have been striving towards. This VISION is grounded in the recognition by both the people and the Government of Botswana of the importance of the natural environment, leading to the integration of government policies into protection and sustainable utilization measures into development projects. These policies include the National Development Plan and the CBNRM Policy Strategy & Action Plan, which focus on economic development and diversification through sustainable natural resource use, including wildlife.
In keeping with this national VISION, the initial purpose of the Habu Community Development Projects was based on four principal objectives:
(i) Community capacity building, and enterprise development in Habu
(ii) Land use zoning for sustainable traditional livelihoods and wildlife management and conservation,
(iii) Water resources development to reduce Human Wildlife Conflict and support traditional livestock farming
(iv) Expanding the local economy and livelihoods through socio-economic development projects.
Kgosi Masedi elaborated on the initial Habu plan to establish the Habu Community Conservancy as a foundation for future development, linked to the potential for wildlife-based tourism enterprises. This original vision was pivotal in the successful grant application submitted in 2017, in collaboration with WEA, to the National Environment Fund (NEF) for funding to launch community projects focused on these four objectives.
There was significant enthusiasm for reviving these projects. During group presentations, it was unanimously agreed that the youth should be involved in prioritizing the allocation of the proposed Community Conservancy area for tourism purposes. The youth group also backed the Village leadership's proposal to allocate camp sites for tourism development and shared a vision of local enterprises involving the youth. The youth valued discussions about the abundant opportunities surrounding resources and enterprises that have yet to be fully utilized.
A key aspect of the Habu Youth workshop/retreat was to offer a platform to thoroughly explain the different relationships with the implementing partners and funders of Habu development projects. This involved clarifying the roles of WEA, the EU, CI, the FAO, and the NEF. Additionally, the discussion covered the history and current role of the Habu community trust (HEDT). It was noted that the Habu community would benefit from having educated youth from the community who comprehend the role of the community trust, its board members, and the Vision for a sustainable future. It was also explained that the grants from various funding agencies, such as the FAO, EU, and CI, which finance the projects in Habu, were organized by WEA, a non-profit NGO that administers the grants for the benefit of the Habu community through implementing the projects identified in the various grant agreements.
Discussions were held focused on a handful of the small enterprise developments in addition to tourism. These included vegetable crop production in the Habu garden, the operation of the soon-to-be-completed Habu multi-species abattoir, the Habu Butchery, and the various value-added enterprises such as leather and leather products, pet food and accessories, and alternative protein sources like chicken and rabbit farming.
After understanding the details of the relationships and the reasons behind the project funding focused on Habu, the youth group shared their thoughts and suggestions on enhancing WEA's projects in their community. Their recommendations included implementing fair recruitment protocols for WEA jobs, improving supervision of WEA Scouts, and emphasizing the importance of uniforms for community scouts.
Lastly, the Habu youth gathering greatly valued the chance to learn about the Vision and the various projects, as well as the opportunity to express their inputs and have their voices heard. PULA!
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