22 Jun 2014

Members of Ngamiland Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (NCONGO) have been urged to frequently revisit their strategic plans to ensure that their activities are in line with the plan and their organisational vision.

Speaking during the 4^th annual general meeting in Maun, NCONGO board chairperson, Mr Kabelo Mahupe said to be a successful non-governmental organisation (NGO), there should be a strategic plan in place to ensure smooth implementation.

He said the NCONGO strategic plan was developed in 2011 to increase the organisation’s ability to deliver on its mandate by 2015. Mr Mahupe also informed members that NCONGO would always be an entity that exists solely to build a better Ngami, adding that the organisation has been influential in raising the profile of civil society organisations within Ngami District and the country at large.

 He said the influence has been demonstrated by the support from both national structures and the international community. “This organisation owes its existence, successes and challenges to the men and women of various backgrounds who dedicate their time to build what is undoubtedly one of the best NGO models in the country,”he said.

He said members were driven by the spirit of collectiveness where they embrace and acknowledge their differences and use the differences and similarities to empower their communities. Mr Mahupe said they have resolved to formalise their relationships with other partners through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Such partnerships, he said, would result in achieving their strategic goals and objectives.

Mr Mahupe said they have learnt from their MoU with the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO), adding that they were in dialogue with the Okavango Research Institute (ORI) in areas of environmental research and development. Members were also informed that the organisation has developed a new partnership with the Queen’s Project on International Development (QPID) from Canada to facilitate volunteer placement among NGOs.

The chairperson said NCONGO was an internationally recognised NGO that would continue to work with friends in the international arena to strengthen relationships at all levels. In mainstreaming HIV/AIDS services amongst members, the organisation has trained 20 members through the help of the American Embassy, he added.

The project titled “Taxi Talk and Condom Distribution Project” was implemented with BOFWA and Maun Taxi Operators targeting commuters within Maun. Mr Mahupe said the project was highly successful and exceeded expectations by distributing more than 300 000 condoms in a space of three months. “We are hoping that the government will work  with us to help expand the project to other districts,” he said. ENDS