21 May 2013

The United States Embassy in Botswana has disbursed over P1.3 million in small grants to community based organisations across the country.

Speaking during the Ambassador’s Special Self-Help programme signing ceremony in Gaborone recntly, US Ambassador to Botswana, Ms Michelle Gavin said it was not surprising to learn that the United States was one of Botswana’s strongest development partners.

Ms Gavin said the Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Fund exists to give communities a boost and to help them demonstrate the capacity to help themselves. The US government has provided more than P1 billion in assistance as Botswana has made its remarkable journey along the path, with most of that assistance targeting the health sector, she said.

She stated that most of the assistance came in the form of large scale projects worth hundreds of millions of pula each. Projects that they focussed on, she said, were those that improved basic economic or social conditions at village level, have a high impact as well as those that could be quickly implemented and benefit a large number of people.

The American people, she said, were pleased to help those willing to take responsibility for their own development needs and to be accountable for the outcomes.

The grant recipients included Botswana Retired Nurses Society in Gaborone which received P128 000, Centre for Youth of Hope in Tlokweng who got over P147 000, Skills Share International Botswana received P190 000 for Dukwi refugees sport projects and P59 000 for the sewing project among others.

For her part, Ms Annah Gabaikhe, the chairperson of Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs Technical Committee, commended the US embassy for investing in Botswana through the source of money and manpower.

Americans, she observed, have a good track record of assisting Botswana, and assured that the ministry commits itself to monitor and mentor projects that they are responsible for to ensure their success. ENDS