15 Mar 2013

Government’s poverty eradication initiatives are meant to improve the living standards of Batswana and contribute towards the country’s economic growth.

An official of the Department of Women’s Affairs, Ms Maduo Mokotedi said this during a five-day workshop organised for beneficiaries of the poverty eradication programme.

She said the women's affairs department and social services had embarked on a training programme to empower beneficiaries so that their projects would not collapse.

The training, she said would provide beneficiaries with basic entrepreneurship knowledge, understanding of group dynamics and the importance of saving.

She noted that 50 people, including individuals and groups, were funded under the poverty eradication programme and that P400 000 had so far been used to purchase materials for various projects.

Projects funded included laundry, tuck-shops, bee keeping, bakery, and livestock.  These are mainly in Ghanzi, New Xade and  Grootlagte. 

Ms Mokotedi said as a department, they had realised that groups or some businesses collapsed due to lack of knowledge of business, personal differences and reluctance to partner with other business people, hence the need to equip the beneficiaries with relevant information.

Miss Tebelelo Mokwena, one of the beneficiaries, encouraged fellow women to work hard on their projects so that they could get out of poverty. She said through such projects, they could hire each other and avoid dependency on government handouts.

Miss Mokwena said poverty eradication projects gave Batswana a sense of responsibility, and above all the ability to lead dignified lives.

She urged fellow beneficiaries not to allow their projects to collapse due to poor management and neglect, adding that they should seize the opportunity and be exemplary to others who condemn government’s poverty eradication initiatives. ENDS