16 May 2016

Laurelton Diamonds Botswana has donated equipment to University of Botswana (UB) disability services unit.

Laurelton Diamonds donated four wheelchair scooters, two massage chairs, three user friendly computer keyboard for the blind and 10 pep talk recorders.

Speaking at the donation ceremony, UB Foundation chairman, Mr Satar Dada said UB was committed to academic excellence and success for students living with disabilities.

Mr Dada said the university had over the years created appropriate support structures aimed at inclusion of students living with disabilities.

He stated that with economies of the world experiencing economic downturn, it was important to build partnerships with corporate entities to ensure that education provision to students living with disabilities in higher education was realised.

Partnerships, he said, demonstrated excellence priority one on access and participation, adding access to tertiary education was a right to all students including those living with disabilities.

Thus, he was hopeful that the corporate world would join Laurelton Diamonds in assisting more students to realise their dreams as well as build a better Botswana.

“At the UB Foundation, we cherish the relationship with Laurelton Diamond Botswana because it is a relationship that has changed the lives of students with disabilities at the universities and conferred dignity upon them,” he said.

Laurelton Diamond Botswana finance and administration manager, Mr Karabo Monepe indicated that they saw it fit to assist students living with disabilities so as to make the world a better place for them.

Mr Monepe noted that there were many people in the world living with disabilities who needed help of some kind, adding discrimination against such people should stop.

Thus, he urged government and the private sector to help people living with disabilities so as to integrate them into the society and make them feel part of it.

Meanwhile, he indicated that the company had donated a total of P664 000 spreading over a period of four years from 2013 to 2017. ENDS