09 Jun 2014

The poverty eradication programme has improved the economic status of beneficiaries despite challenges that it faces, says the Mahalapye Sub-district principal home economics officer.

Ms Iteleleng Bampei said in an interview recently that, “some beneficiaries are able to pay school fees, buy their children school uniforms and provide food for their families. Others have managed to purchase insurance policies and build homesteads.”

She said since inception of the programme, 450 projects had been established, noting that 189 projects had been completely packaged while 261 others were still being packaged whereas 21 had collapsed. Ms Bampei said efforts were being made to revive collapsed projects.

She however raised concern about neglect of projects by beneficiaries which she said had been identified as one of the factors that led to the collapse of poverty eradication projects. Ms Bampei said some projects suffered from lack of operational space as most of beneficiaries stayed in extended families.

“Another factor that leads to the collapse of projects is lack of market to sell products and services which is aggravated by saturation of certain markets like tent hire and catering,” she said.

For one to be a beneficiary of the Poverty Eradication programme, Ms Bampei said they have to be assessed by social workers whereas others are self-referrals. “Eligible people are those living with disabilities, registered as destitute, potential destitute and other vulnerable groups,” she said.  ENDS