11 Apr 2013

Two families in Lokgwabe are the latest beneficiaries of  the Presidential Housing Appeal.

This initiative, whose objective is to provide shelter and restore dignity to the needy, seems to be progressing well and credit should be given to the private sector and the public alike for demonstrating that indeed Batswana are a compassionate, just and caring nation.

After living in dreadful conditions and surviving the extremely chilly winters of the Kgalagadi desert for almost their entire lives, the families of Ms Mellica Cloete and Ms Tshetsana Gabaikhe are now looking forward to  a dignified life and a decent roof over their heads, thanks to the President’s Housing Appeal for the needy.

According to Lokgwabe Village Development Committee chairperson, Mr Daniel Mokgare, the two beneficiaries were identified after a lengthy assessment by the social and community development officers in collaboration with the VDC.

“Abject poverty is the order of the day for many families in Lokgwabe and is primarily driven by lack of employment opportunities and shortage of basic resources like water and decent shelter in this part of the country,” said Mr Mokgare.

Mr Mokgare said although there was a long list of potential beneficiaries, his committee decided to put the families of Cloete and Gabaikhe at the top of the list  because they lived in temporary shelters made out of reeds and old blankets while other members of their families stayed with relatives.

One of the beneficiaries, Ms Gabaikhe was delighted at the latest development in her life. The 75-year-old visually impaired mother of four could not stop expressing her gratitude to the President and the government’s effort to eradicate poverty.

She indicated that she was sharing a one room shanty house with her son and three grandchildren. “Some of my children have long deserted me because I could not provide for them and I have not seen in a long time,” stated Ms Gabaikhe.

She was therefore hopeful that the completion of the new house could reunite her with her long gone three children. The only modern facility available in Ms Gabaikhe’s yard prior to the construction of the house was stand pipe which she installed through her savings from the old age pension.

The Presidential Housing Appeal initiative was not only helping people in need of shelter, but it also assisted other members of the community who were involved in construction of the houses through the Ipelegeng programme.

Hukuntsi Sub-district senior assistant council secretary, Mr Joseph Kgabanyane highlighted that 40 destitute houses were to be built in the sub-district through both the President Housing Appeal and the ministry of local government.

Mr Kgabanyane noted that they were faced with many challenges during construction of the houses among them being shortage of water, transport, expensive building materials and lack of skilled manpower.

“We at times have to bowse water to construction sites especially settlements and this is a huge challenge since we only have one water bowser truck,” he said. Hukuntsi Sub-district has so far handed over 18 houses to various beneficiaries. ENDS