21 Jul 2016

Vice President Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi has handed over a donation of P500 000 from Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTCL) Foundation to 10 charity organisations within the Palapye area.

Each of the 10 charity organisations received P50 000. The donation emanated from proceeds from the “beMOBILE ke ya rona festival,” sponsored by the BTCL Foundation in 2015 in Palapye.

Handing over the donation at the Palapye kgotla on July 21, Mr Masisi commended the BTCL Foundation for uplifting communities and supporting government efforts to uplift lives and fight poverty.

He said it was indicative that the spirit of botho and the desire to help and support each other was inherent among Batswana.

The BTCL Foundation was set up by BTCL to establish meaningful participation in the corporate social responsibility arena.

He said the government alone could not succeed to uplift the lives of all Batswana without support and assistance from like-minded organisations such as the BTCL Foundation.

“I hope the donation will be put to good use and help improve the lives of beneficiaries,” said Vice President Masisi.

The 10 organisations that benefited are Serowe SOS Children’s Village, House of Hope, Kopano Rehabilitation Foundation, Itsoseng Banana Trust, Mmabana Trust, Christian Women’s Fellowship, Hope Humana, Ratsie Setlhako Primary School, Masupe Primary School and Palapye Umbrella VDC.

Mr Masisi, who is also the MP for Moshupa/Manyana, urged the 10 beneficiaries to use the money wisely, adding that if anyone wants to know how they used the funds they should be in a position to present the report.

 He also urged Batswana to promote the spirit of giving in their respective families and wards.

In addition, he urged BTCL to promote their services, to attract many people to use the beMobile network, adding that this would lead to increases in the company’s profits which would enable the company to give more.

For his part, BTCL Foundation board of trustee chairperson, Kgosi Michael Mothobi said the foundation was a trust that seeks to carry out projects for the sole purpose and benefit of Batswana wherever they may be.

He said the foundation seeks to uplift communities by identifying and supporting registered organisations that have projects that would impact the whole community.

He noted that in 2013 BTCL sponsored a festival in Palapye and donated the proceeds to five charities with each organisation receiving P20 000 to thank and acknowledge the community for hosting the festival.

He said BTCL also made an undertaking that if the organisation was to sponsor another festival in Palapye, local charitable organisations would again be the beneficiaries.

In 2015, he said the BTCL Foundation sponsored a music festival in Palapye, hence the donation to honour the promise made in 2013.

BTCL supports several projects in the form of donations and sponsorships with primary focus on health, education, sports development, arts and culture, environment and poverty reduction.

For his part, the MP for Palapye, Mr Moiseraele Goya thanked BTCL for the donation, adding that the money was going to benefit a lot of people represented by the 10 charity organisations.

He said it shows that Batswana were a compassionate, just and caring nation, adding that the foundation would be counted amongst those who contributed to the attainment of Vision 2016 pillars.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr Laone Van Vuuren of House of Hope said his organization was a non-profit making organisation entrusted with the responsibility to take care of orphaned and vulnerable children.

He said his organisation provides day care services and provides counselling and pysychosocial support.

He said due to financial challenges it was difficult to undertake the organisation’s mandate fully, and that the donation would help his organisation to take care of orphaned and vulnerable children as well as the care giver. ENDS