11 Apr 2013

Community trusts are another model of uplifting the lives of many Batswana. In an interview, the acting trust manager for Okavango Kopano Mokoro Community Trust (OKMCT), Mr Seikaneng Moepedi, said trusts were like co-operatives, which contributed to the development of the rural communities back in the 1970s.

He said community trusts acted as a vehicle to complement government services. He explained that their core mandate was to empower local communities through creation of employment, offering training to young people to pursue courses of their choice and management of natural resources.

He said OKMCT supported the communities in case of the death of some of the community members, transportation of patients to nearby clinics and provided assistance during natural disasters that affected the communities within which they operated.

Mr Moepedi noted that their aim was to empower local people to improve their livelihoods, adding that his trust supported individuals to start their small business such as back yard gardening and tuck shops.

He further said OKMCT had four camps operating in NG32 Concession, with the main activities being hunting, photography, boat excursions and nature walks.

“We have four camps for hunting and photography, which we have leased to Johan Calitz Hunting Safaris” he explained.

He revealed that his trust, which was established in 1997 to manage natural resources and generate revenue income through tourism activities, serviced six settlements  of Boro, Xharaxao, Daunara, Ditshiping, Xaxaba and Xuoxao.

With regard to the planned hunting ban by the government, Mr Moepedi regretted that hunting was coming to an end this year. However he said they had decided to convert their two hunting camps to photography.

He noted that since their management plan was underway, they would renovate their camps to pave way for photographic activities.

With the help of the technical assistance committee (TAC) that comprised of government senior officials, we managed to negotiate with government for a waiver to continue hunting for this year to help us clear up and draw our management plans for the future,” he asserted.

The official further revealed that his trust was doing well but regretted that the 2010/11 floods affected their operations.

Mr Moepedi revealed that over P100 000 was spent on students sponsorship annually from those communities the trust operated, adding that the trust made about P2 million from hunting and rental fees and over P1 million through gate keeping.

“We have a good working relationship with our communities and the government.” ENDS