20 Jun 2016

Botswana Defence Force (BDF) officers in Lobatse, Rakhuna and Pitsane camps have donated school uniform, shoes and sport kits to Ngwatsau Primary School.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, BDF’s director of organisational support, Brigadier Lawrence Rapula, commended the officers for the compassionate gesture. 

Brigadier Rapula said  government alone could not manage  to assist the less privileged in the society, adding that it was for this reason that the officers pledged to share what they earned with needy people.

He pleaded with teachers to be patient with students because they could have challenges coming from different backgrounds. 

However, he encouraged students to also work hard, pay more attention to their studies and teachers and respect their parents, adding that those aspects were critical to success.

In her welcome remarks, school head, Ms Wame Lechiile, expressed her gratitude to BDF officers for thinking of the less privileged students in her school, adding that she hoped to see more good Samaritans coming to their rescue.

Ms Lechiile further said she was concerned about students who  walked long distances to school everyday as most of them came from neighbouring villages such as Rakhuna, Sheepfarm and Morokolwane. 

When giving the project overview, deputy commandant for Lobatse Peace Support Training Centre, Major Andres Tshireletso, said the project was worth approximately P15 000 

He said their cooperate social responsibility team pledged to carry out a project annually to assist the communities around their bases since 2013, adding that the aim was to support the 2016 pillars of being a compassionate, just and caring nationas well as an educated and informed nation.

He further said the team contributed money from their own pockets towards the projects and searched for a suitable project and beneficiaries and added that the village social worker and guidance and counselling teachers helped to identify students from the school who really needed assistance.

The village’s Kgosi Khumoeng Seane said the officers were kind since they travelled around and reached out to the people who needed them most without despair. 

He said his village was small and not well known but with the gesture it shall be known to all and hopefully developments come their way to grow the village. ENDS