06 Apr 2014

The Vice President Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe says government has decided to introduce a social safety package in the 2014/15 financial year meant for people living with disabilities (PLWDs).

Giving a keynote address at the 4th fundraising dinner courtesy of the Mochudi Resource Centre for the Blind yesterday (April 4) in Gaborone, Dr Kedikilwe said the safety net would be means-tested so that only those who truly deserve benefit.

The VP further said affirmative action had been adopted to employ graduates with disabilities, adding that to date, 38 of the 63 PLWDs who had applied to the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) had secured permanent employment.

He added that the revised national policy on people living with disabilities should also streamline provision of services for them such as access to information, education and land.

Dr Kedikilwe assured his audience of government’s support in order to supplement quality service provided to children accommodated at Mochudi Resource Centre.

He said government through the Ministry of Education and Skills Development currently provided partial funding to the Centre on annual basis so as to sustain the programme provided at the institution during the 2013/14 financial year.

He said the institution received a subsidy of over P2 million and that that was an annual allocation intended to assist the Centre with part of its recurrent budget that excludes developmental budget.  

He said the fund raising dinner was meant for the construction of a P17 million new fully-fledged resource centre to assist a total of 75 children who have visual challenges while more than 60 children with similar challenges in various parts of the country were currently at home struggling in schools that do not have appropriate facilities.

The Vice President said the children were desperately waiting for the establishment of the new building to enable them to access appropriate facilities to meet their specific learning needs.

He said government was alive to the disturbing trend of people living with disabilities and was committed to ensuring that they enjoyed the right to develop to their full capacity.

He indicated that some major challenges facing Mochudi Resource Centre included limited accommodation facilities, shortage of qualified staff and limited funding to address the specific needs for the blind.

Giving a keynote address, the Minister of Defence, Justice and Security Mr Dikgakgamatso Seretse, who is also the Patron for Mochudi Resource Centre, commended all those who donated to the centre no matter how small their donations were.

He said the donations were in line with the national vision pillar of a ‘compassionate, just and caring nation’ which everyone must adhere to.

The fund raising dinner, which was held under the theme, ‘Break barriers, open doors for an inclusive Botswana for all’ managed to raised close to P3 million plus a 16 seater minibus which was donated by Zambezi Motors. ENDS