This past week Maruapula School hosted the combined launch of Madi Majwana Season 2: Stories from your Pocket, the radio drama and stage production, and the Barclays Ready to Work project. Madi Majwana is a radio drama created by Maitisong and Barclays to educate young people in particular, and the nation at large, on financial management and other related topics, using radio and theatre as vehicles for message dissemination. Over three years, the project has given hope to many young people through employment creation and skills development. Ready to Work is the bank’s Africa flagship employability initiative that will prepare young people across Africa for the world of work
Director of Maitisong, Gao Lemmenyane said the creative industry is the future employer as they engaged over 60 people in the project. “This means that we have created job opportunities for these people who will also aquire new skills as they will be trained. The other benefit is that since we will be going on tour this month around the country to showcase and educate the nation we will be spending money on food, transport and accommodation,” he said.
For his part, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Botswana, Oduetse Motshidisi, said; “It is important that I use this opportunity to confirm the full support of the Bank of Botswana for this important initiative, which illustrates how the creative industry can be a tool for social and economic inclusion, by catalysing critical discussion and introspection. This is important in the context of the ambitious outreach objectives of Madi Majwana 2, without a dose of entertainment, it would be even harder to succeed.”
Barclays Bank Managing Director, Reinette Van der Merwe said the second series will extend and deepen the narrative of season one and focus on the choices that young people in particular make with money and the consequences both financially and socially. “The drama will continue from Season one with the same characters and explore the financial issues that they have to grapple with in their lives. Madi Majwana Season two has additional features that will ensure its long term success and sustainability. This year’s production will include Ikalanga which makes it more accessible to communities in Kalanga speaking areas. A second exciting development is that the production team and crew will attend a financial literacy workshop and receive coaching so that they are aware of the critical issues of money management and have a voice in the discussions that take place. It is our hope that these young people will continue to learn about money issues so that they themselves can become effective coaches and advisors to those of us struggling with money issues,” she said.
Head of Marketing and Corporate Relations at Barclays Bank, Racheal Mushaike introduced the Ready to Work initiative; “Ready to Work is a free digital and face-to-face learning curriculum that will assist young people to develop their work and entrepreneurial skills and is designed to facilitate the critical transition of a young person from education to the world of work, be it as a self-employed person or for those young people seeking employment. Ready to Work will support the work that is being done by the Maitisong Theatre through Madi Majwana. Young people will have the opportunity to further understand and learn about money skills by accessing the free program. We are confident that Ready to Work will make a difference in the lives of thousands of young people who are currently struggling with securing employment or bringing their business ideas to life,” she said.
Madi Majwana and Ready to Work initiatives are sponsored by Barclays Bank in
partnership with Maitisong, Yarona FM and Botho University.