23 Feb 2015

Tashatha Community Junior School Teachers and Peer Approach to Counseling by Teens (PACT) Student Club on Friday (February 20) donated a two bedroomed house and a standpipe to the Piti family.

Officially handing over the house, Chief Education Officer North, Ms Angela Matlhape encouraged the family to unite and take care of the house. Ms Matlhape noted that by giving to the needy, they were not giving to community within their area of operation only, but also to the entire nation. 

She said the house will change the beneficiaries’ standard of living and give them dignity by putting a smile on their faces.

The guidance and counseling teacher ,Ms Lenah Lekgetho highlighted that the school has been engaged in the project since 2013 after five students from the family were identified through the guidance and counseling department. 

She said the students did not attend school regularly and sometimes came late with dirty school uniform which forced the school to make follow ups. Ms Lekgetho revealed that it was realized that students come from a complicated extended family and that some of them were orphans.

Furthermore, she said as a result of them being many in the family, they were forced to share three small shanty houses while small children slept outside. 

Ms Lekgetho said that the family did not have a water stand pipe, and were offered 20 litres of water per day by a neighbour to be used for bathing, washing, and cooking, which was not enough. She said the situation, compelled the school to respond and staff agreed to install a stand pipe and build a two roomed house.

In addition, she said when the project was about to kick start they then realised again that the plot did not have a certificate, but decided to involve the village chief to assist on the matter and finally the plot was awarded a certificate. North East District, district officer, Ms Tebogo Hlabano advised members of the family to utilize government programmes.

She said the President Lt. General Seretse Khama Ian Khama has started good economic empowerment programmes which they need to take advantage of. Ms Hlabano said that the donation showed that people were heeding the Vision 2016 pillar which called for a companionate, just and caring nation by taking care of the less privileged. 

The beneficiary, Ms Kenalemang Piti thanked the school for the good deed and encouraged them to continue doing this for others. ENDS