Goitsemang J. Khutsafalo Interview
Briefly tell us about yourself.
Firstly let me greet you all and thank you for this opportunity. Well, Goitsemang Khutsafalo is a young man originating from Mahalapye in the central part of Botswana. Raised by a single mother called Kutlo Khutsafalo. I have siblings, 3 brothers and 3 sisters. I am the last born. I grew up in Mahalapye, I attended school from elementary to junior school there. I am a Christian. I am 20 years old now. At this point in time, I am a student at ABM University College studying BSc (Hons) Accounting & Finance. My passion is socio entrepreneurship and I want to be a great entrepreneur and a business leader. I have founded an organization in Botswana called All Brilliant Minds Organization (ALBRIMO). I have several partnerships in local business enterprises. I believe in challenging the so called impossibilities, because I believe that everything that I can conceive in my mind I can accomplish.
Tell us more about ALBRIMO
ALBRIMO is a registered non profit making organization formulated to enhance the academic performance of Botswana students through the provision of free student empowerment schemes, failure alleviation programs and to promote academic excellence in Botswana. It is based in ABM University College in Block 6-Gaborone. Currently it has 59 registered members from different campuses, thus; Botswana Accountancy College, University of Botswana, Botho University and Limkokwing University. We are operating with one main branch strategically serving the whole nation. We are now working on the “ngwaga o le nna ke moo” annual campaign which has been mandated to help students to boost their zeal of doing well in their examinations through providing motivational and inspirational talks and broadcasts, examination tips and study materials to the students writing examinations this year. The aim is to improve the general pass rate of Botswana students every academic year. ALBRIMO has only 1 year and 7 months of service and existence registered under the Registrar of Societies Botswana.
Are you working on anything else?
Yes, as a humanitarian youth leader, I am currently working in poverty eradication in our country. Thus, generating and merging ideas on how best we can eradicate poverty in our country. It’s a great work, I can’t disclose the missile right now but I assure you, you will hear about it soon when time is right. 🙂
Do you face any challenges? How do you overcome them?
Yes, I do face challenges on a daily basis. Running an organization is a tough job just like running a business. I face challenges in ALBRIMO, in my social life and even in my professional life even my academic life. The only tool that has always carried me even up to this point, I call it “abiding in the arena of positivity”. I believe that it doesn’t matter how the situation looks like, what I know is that I have already won. When I hit a challenge, I don’t let it dominate my mind, but what I let to dominate my mind is my desire. Because the question that helps me a lot is this, I always ask myself this; “what will you do if this challenge didn’t exist”, and that answer is what I will believe and run with. And most of the time, it works, I always win. Most importantly, I pray to God to guide every single thing I do, since I partnered with Him in my life, things has been working out well. And most of the time, He fights for me and He brings opportunities to me. After I go through that challenge, there is always a promotion in the other end.
You recently went to Manila, Philippines for the 4th University scholars leadership symposium tell us more about it.
The 4th USL symposium has been formulated to bring humanitarian youth leaders from all over the world to put them under one roof for learning, benchmarking, exploring and networking with one mission on the table of coming up with ideas which can be implemented to eradicate poverty in the whole world starting with our own countries. It was a lifetime experience. Really informative and educating and I believe that ever since I attended that symposium I have been upgraded in various ways. The symposium had about 700 delegates from 45 countries.
What are the highlights of your trip?
There is going to be a formal presentation about our trip to Manila in the media. We will be working with the Office of the President on this mission of poverty eradication.
What lessons did you learn?
I have learnt a lot of lessons there. Starting from interacting with people from different cultures. There were great speakers there who said a lot of statements which opened my eyes. Simerjeet Singh and Francis Kong were teaching about making a difference in the world, and one of the points they made was that “the man who moved the mountain was the one who started carrying small stones”, this has educated me that to make a difference, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to do a dynamite project, if all of us can join hands and move small stones, poverty will cease to exist our country.
-“poverty is a behavioral situation that has economic consequences” Tony Meloto.
What are your plans for the next 5 years.
In the next five years I want to have reached a few milestones towards reaching my major goal in life, which is socio entrepreneurship. I am writing my life guide book for the youth who wants to discover themselves and their purpose and fulfill them successfully, it’s called “Life As It Is”, I want to complete it. My other plan is to take ALBRIMO Internationally. Far most important, if not married then engaged. 🙂
What’s your message to other young people in Botswana.
Firstly, I want you to appreciate the fact that you are a young person, and again I want you to thank God that you were born in the right country at the right time, again, look into that mirror and see the person with a great substance. I would like to tell you something, that, the reason why most people fail to succeed in life is that they failed to realize the potential in them. Tony Meloto said, ” poverty is a behavioral situation that has an economic consequences”. You have the choice to make, thus being poor or wealthy. You have the energy to work for yourself and make a difference in your life and of those surrounding you. I learnt something, that if we think someone will change the world then nobody will, but if we understand that we are the agents of change, we will rise up to our call and stand in the gap as the youth to make a difference. The truth is, everything is possible, but only if you believe. But I believe that you can achieve that dream, if they managed to go to the moon, you can also achieve that dream, just take the first step.
How can people connect with you?
We thank God that communication is a lot easier these days. You can contact me on Facebook; Goitsemang J. Khutsafalo (that’s my account name and also my fan page for people who want consultancy on business, social life, self development and spiritual upliftment). I am also on twitter; @gkhutsafalo or email me at [email protected] or otherwise contact me on my mobile at (+267) 74284139.
