17 Oct 2014

President Lt Gen Seretse Khama Ian Khama on Thursday, October 16, handed over cheques to eight charity organisations that benefitted from the P530 000 donation from The Lady Khama Charitable Trust. 

Chairperson of the trust, Mr Dale Ter Haar said the organisations had been selected due to their work with women and vulnerable children.  The beneficiaries included Childline Botswana, SOS Children”s Village, Bana Ba Metsi, Flying Mission, Ray of Hope, Little Friends Nursery, Society of St Vincent De Paul and Sponsor a Child Trust Fund.

Mr Ter Haar said the funds were raised through fundraising activities such as the ‘run21’ half marathon, family fun day, Lady Khama obstacle course and the Ghanzi horse endurance relay.

He said the trust was established in 2002 by President Khama in honour of his mother, Lady Ruth Khama. Mr Ter Haar said since 2004, the trust had disbursed more than P9 million. One of the beneficiaries, Ms Ellen Britz, coordinator of Little Friends, said the organisation assisted vulnerable children with transport, food and various needs.

She said her organisation also had a pre-school with three classrooms that could hold a capacity of eight-five children, adding that Little Friends started in the late 90s during the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

For her part, the acting international director of Flying Mission, Ms Saralee Molodi said her organisation had mercy flights with the Ministry of Health. She said they also trained teachers that dealt with early childhood. ENDS