02 Sep 2014

Bana Ba Letsatsi (BBL) programme has been praised for creating a supportive environment for orphans and vulnerable children through best practices.

The programme aimed to keep children and youth of Maun off the streets and away from negative influences by empowering them through education and support. The programme’s vision was to see all children become productive members of the society.

Speaking during the BBL Open House Day, Councillor Tebogo Bethia of Thamalakane North applauded the implementers of the programme noting that they had restored and maintained the dignity in the lives of the children who had been disadvantaged by social ills.

“It could be sickness, family dysfunctions and circumstances beyond our control but someone realised that something needed to be done. That was the right reaction at the right time”, he added.

Mr Bethia called on the nation at large to learn a lesson from the best practice and continue to nurture it until children are able to sustain themselves as per BBL’s mandate.

He said government had continually paid much interest in the children and youth of the country citing examples of the programmes in place aimed to develop and empower the youth.

He also called on parents and care givers to attend to issues that concern their children adding that “the children need us in their day to day care and BBL programme offers you a complement to generate life for the sake of the children.

That is empowerment to enable you to take care of these young ones.
Mr Bethia said the task could be achieved through a joint effort as children need to be brought up in peaceful united families. He also urged them to take advantage of the BBL programme as it is for a good purpose.

The founder and the staff of BBL were also given a pat on the back and encouraged to roll out the programme to other areas of the district and beyond. For her part, BBL executive director, Ms Margaret Morris said the programme which was established in 2002 takes care of 233 children of which three are at pre-school, 124 at primary, 58 at secondary schools, 17 at non-formal, eight at tertiary, two at BOCODOL and six are attached for employment.

She said the programme has grown in the number of children and activities noting that initially looked for 50 children who were found to be involved in behavior that proved to be unacceptable by the community as a whole.

She revealed that Maun has 1360 needy children of which 28 are in need of care and 2396 are orphans while the district as a whole has 3014 needy children, 151 in need of care and 6392 are orphans.

“This calls for expansion and rolling out of the programme to cater for the size of the problem,” she added. The programme takes care of children through strategised objectives such as strengthening the capacity of families/caregivers to protect and care for the children; to improve access for children and youth to essential services such as education and health and also to strengthen community based responses to provide immediate and long term support to vulnerable households. Ends