07 Dec 2015

The Tlokweng community on Thursday December 3 received a library built by Botswana Retired Nurses Association (BORNUS) funded by Blue Lupin Foundation through the Stephen Lewis Foundation in Canada.

Officially opening the library, Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Moiseraele Goya said Tlokweng residents have gone without a library for a long time, and that they have been accessing services in Gaborone and elsewhere.

He said residents would enjoy browsing through a growing book collection and would soon be able to use the library’s computers to access the Internet and make copies of documents they would like as reference material.

“I would like to emphasise the desirability of developing the society of our nation, the power of intelligent reading, the progress and prosperity of our nation will be to a great extent be determined by the quality of our nation,” said Mr Goya.

Mr Goya said the government’s desire was to make the transition from a mineral led economy to a knowledge based one, and that it could be achieved through the assistance of libraries.

“I wish to particularly call upon the youth in Tlokweng who have hitherto become victims of passive amusements and purposeful hobbies to desist from unprofitable activities which clog their aspirations and consume their energies to take up reading as their hobby and make use of this library to the fullest,’ Mr Goya said.

He thanked the Canadian donors and local friends for their support who made building of the library possible through their contribution and donations.

Mr Goya praised BORNUS for playing an essential role in Tlokweng since its inception in 2003.

He said the retired nurses society established the Community Relief Day Care Centre, with the aim of providing community care and support to terminally and chronically ill clients, including those with HIV and AIDS as well as orphans and vulnerable children.

He added that BORNUS was also supporting his ministry’s efforts of expanding access to education especially at pre-primary school level by running a day care centre that enrols 50 children aged between two-and-half to six years annually without any charges.

For his part, the deputy paramount chief of Batlokwa, Mr Michael Gaborone applauded BORNUS for the good job they were doing and having made the village proud by identifying with their village.

He urged the community to support BORNUS with funds so that they could carry their daily activities and decried that there was lack of space at the facility which does not permit them to expand. ENDS