15 Dec 2014

Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Phillip Makgalemele has hailed Shoshong Home-Based care givers saying they have proved that they have a vision.

Speaking during the handing over of two houses to the family of Mr Fanyane Setshwane and Ms Magdeline Beleng in Shoshong on December 12, Mr Makgalemele said the group had demonstrated the spirit of compassion and dignity for their community.

“The principle of a compassionate and a caring nation spearheaded by the national Vision 2016 is not lost,” he said. He hailed the group for their contribution to the community, especially for their social responsibility projects, saying one did not have to be rich in order to extend a helping hand.

He said in as much as members of the Shoshong Home-Based Care were able to give from their pockets, it showed that all things were possible if one was willing. Mr Makgalemele encouraged other committees to follow suit and contribute towards assisting and improving the lives of other people who were less privileged.

He said the government alone could not be able to reach to every individual and therefore it was upon every Motswana to take care of their neighbours, adding that God would bless them for taking care of the needy.

Mr Makgalemele also challenged men to be part of the giving process, saying in most cases women were the ones who give. To the beneficiaries, Mr Makgalemele advised them to receive their gifts with love and to take good care of them.

For her part, assistant chairperson of the Shoshong Home-Based Care, Ms Gabonamong Tapologo said they had identified the beneficiaries because they could see that they were in need, and that the government could not be able to reach the whole lot of Batswana.

Ms Tapologo said they embarked on a voluntary monetary contributions to help assist in building each family a one-roomed house.

She explained that the group went an extra mile by establishing a cough spot for use by Tuberculosis patients in the Shoshong Clinic, guard rooms for Shoshong and Sheleketa clinics.

She stated that they had a backyard garden in which they assisted all their clients with vegetables.

Their efforts, she said were not going well because of shortage of water in the village, adding that they would have loved to have a vegetable farm to generate income for the HBC in Shoshong.

The area councillor, Mr Metha Makoko also thanked the HBC for their compassionate work.

Mr Makoko said despite their day to day work of taking care of the ill in the community and not getting that much, they still found it in their hearts to go an extra mile to help in a spacious way.

In their acceptance speech, the beneficiary could not hide their excitement for the HBC deeds.

Ms Beleng thanked the home based care for saving her family, saying her dignity had been restored.

She promised to take care of the room and said her children would feel safe in the house. ENDS