It is unfortunate that D’Kar residents are more and more often becoming farm workers, instead of being farmers of their own livestock, especially because there is an increasing and troubling problem related to farm workers from D’Kar.
Farm workers continuously suffer exploitation and abuse from their employers. Some farm workers have talked about the abuse they get from farm owners, which includes beatings, humiliation, insults, etc., but they do not feel able to report the abuse because they are afraid to lose their job.
A herd of cattle at a farm.
They work on the farm their entire lives and when their children are born on the farm, they automatically become workers, even at an early age. This makes it impossible for the children to go to school to sharpen their basic numeracy and literature skills.
Credit must be given to those farm owners in and around Ghanzi District who do give the young children the opportunity to go to school. A few provide basic things that are needed to go to school, such as school uniforms and stationery for the students.
However, their support should not end there. Students must be encouraged to stay at school and study as hard as they can so that they too can acquire technical and practical skills to manage and own their farms, should they develop an interest in farming.
I’m a native speaker of Naro from Botswana’s Ghanzi District. I’m a defender of of Indigenous rights and a strong supporter of inclusive social policy. As a young person from a very marginalized group, I have grown to understand the importance of culture in todays society. Whereas I know that change is inevitable, without the knowledge of where you come from and ideals that you represent, can bring harm to the very fight of the right to self-determination. I support all those who advocate towards them.
