04 Aug 2014

The spirit of charity embodied by the late Lady Ruth Khama continues to live on through the Lady Khama Charitable Trust.

Ghanzi Horse race organiser, also MP for Ghanzi, Mr Christiaan De Graaff said this at the trust’s annual family fun day in Gaborone on August 3, when welcoming the Charitable Trust patron, President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama to the event.

“We must help one another in life and we must stand together including the less fortunate people. Charity is close to my heart and I play part in the raising of funds,” Mr De Graaff said.

He also explained that the Ghanzi horse endurance race initiative, which formed part of the family fun day activities, started four years ago with a view to raise money for the under privileged. 

He said the 700km horse race, which lasted for four days, comprised of 23 lags; with each sponsored by the business community that comprised about 30 companies.

Horse Society of Botswana representative, Mr Ludi Scheffer said the race, which started on Tuesday and ended in Gaborone on Friday, went well though it was tough because of the Kgalagadi sands terrain.

The trust chairperson, Mr Dale Te Haar said the Lady Khama Charitable Trust family fun day was an idea that the trust had with a view of restoring dignity to the vulnerable and the poor, especially women and children. 

He said the purpose of family fun day was to raise funds for the trust, which assisted vulnerable women and children. Again, he said they had so far raised P1.5 million and hoped to exceed the amount. 

He indicated that the money raised was not earmarked for a particular charity organisation, but people who had applied towards the funding will be assisted after assessing their applications. 

“Every quarter as a trust we meet and review all applicants and this money is given to those we decide need funding,” he said. He said this year the activity was more like a fair as there were a number of stalls on display.

He indicated that they had a variety of activities which also raised money for the event citing the Lady Khama Urban Obstacle Course, the Ghanzi Horse Endurance Relay and The President’s Cup that comprised President Khama’s team competing with seven others.

“The biggest fund raiser is the Ghanzi horse race relay because corporates sponsor every stage,” he said.Mr Te Haar further noted that since the trust’s inception, they had managed to support many organisations such as SOS Children’s Village, Botswana Council of Women, Red Cross, Bana ba Metsi and Stepping Stones, among others.

The fun day consisted of a variety of activities, among them, football games, bicycle relay, a relay race, tug of war and obstacles which President Khama, participated in almost all. ENDS