11 Apr 2016

Ditsweletse Junior Secondary School staff has donated food and toiletry basket to a needy and elderly, Ms Gareutlwane Mpaliwa of Tawana Ward in Letlhakane.

Speaking at the handover ceremony recently, secretary in Boteti East constituency office, Mr Golebilwemang Golebilwemang, commended Ditsweletse staff for going beyond their classroom duties and raising money to help the less privileged in society.

Mr Golebilwemang commended them for living the 2016 pillar of a compassionate, just and caring nation and encouraged them to continue with such good deeds.

He also encouraged the beneficiary to take good care of the gifts given to her because they were given in good faith.

The day started off with weeding, de-bushing and planting fruit trees at Ms Mpaliwa’s yard.

Senior teacher in the Guidance and Counselling Department, Ms Julia Ramalepa said their donation to Ms Mpaliwa was an answer to the president’s call of giving back to the community they worked in.

Ms Ramalepa said as a school, they had decided to sacrifice money from their pockets and use their hands to help the needy in society.

She also indicated that giving back to the community was part of the school’s wellness committee with a view that the heart and hand that gives and cared for its community could make the world a better place.

She added that they worked with the Social and Community Development (S&CD) every term to identify the vulnerable group in the society and find a way to help them out.

Receiving the gift, the 74-year-old, Ms Mpaliwa thanked Ditsweletse staff for their gesture and spending the day with her.

“Blessed is the hand that gives than the one that receives, so I wish everyone of you the best in life. Cutting out the trees has helped a lot because thieves used to use them as their hiding place,” she said.

Ms Mpaliwa is an ailing elderly woman who is being cared for by the social welfare department.  

The elderly woman who lives alone said she wished for a secured house because there were petty thieves who tend to target his handouts.

Meanwhile, the school established the wellness committee under the guidance and counselling department where they give back to the community every term. ENDS