23 Aug 2016

Despite setbacks such as shortage of equipment and shortage of water experienced in the implementation of poverty eradication projects, residents of Serule who benefitted from the programme and other citizen empowerment programmes such as LIMID, Youth Development Fund and Department of Gender Affairs funding programme, have praised the programmes noting that their lives have changed for the better. 

They expressed gratitude and praised the citizen empowerment programmes during a kgotla meeting held by the Presidential Inspectorate Taskforce Team at the village recently. The team also toured some projects at the village and surrounding cattle posts to find out and appreciate how far the beneficiaries have gone with their projects to uplift their lives and to establish the challenges the beneficiaries face.

During the kgotla meeting,Ms Masa Pesane who rents out tents and chairs after getting assistance from the Poverty Eradication Programme said her project is doing well despite challenges such as shortage of catering utensils. She also expressed concern about the poor quality of materials used to make the tents indicating that the tents easily tear. 

However she expressed gratitude for the programme explaining that she is able to gain income to sustain her life and family. Miss Kelebogile Goitsemang who also benefitted a tent, chairs and catering utensils from the Department of Gender Affairs also indicated that the programme came in handy in her life as she is able gain income from clients hiring out her tent and chairs during weddings and other events. However, she also expressed concern that the tent she was given was of poor quality and easily tore off  resulting in her using more funds to stitch and fix the tent.

Another beneficiary, Ms Thaloganyo Kedisitse who benefited livestock through the Poverty Eradication Programme noted that she received nine goats and a billy-goat in 2014. She said the number nearly doubled over the past two years. However the challenge she faced which lead to her losing some of livestock due to death was as lack of vaccines. 

She also mentioned that some goat kids died during birth. She mentioned that though the number dwindled, she managed to sell some goats to finish of her house which she is currently living in. She said currently she has nine goats left and she praised government for the poverty eradication programme noting that despite challenges experienced, her life has been changed and uplifted.

Mr Amos Montsoseng among others who benefited garden nets, tools and seedlings through the Poverty Eradication Programme to start a back yard garden in 2013 said that he produces tomatoes, onions and spinach for sale. 

He said though he faces challenges such as shortage of water experienced in Serule, his project has done well for him as he is able to  produce  horticulture produce for sale and to sustain his life. 

However, he mentioned that the market for his products in Serule is limited and unreliable. He said his target is to sell some of his produce to Napro Plant in Selebi Phikwe which produces food stuff such as tomato sauce, artcher as well as pickled and dried vegetables.

He said the challenge of shortage of water experienced in the village has prompted him to use gardening methods that improve moisture retention in the soil and make the soil hold water for longer. 

He expressed gratitude to government for introducing the poverty eradication programme mentioning that since he started his back yard garden project his life has never been the same. 

Other economic empowerment projects undertaken in the village include a hair saloon funded through the YDF, brick moulding project funded through the Poverty Eradication Programme, poultry projects funded through LIMID and Poverty Eradication Programme, a laundry project funded through Department of Gender Affairs funding programme, food catering project as well as a home made Jam and Artcher project among other projects in the village.

Meanwhile,Ms Mapula Modise who was leading the inspectorate team in Serule which included Ms Mmapula Phuduhudu, Mr Gabolekwe Tlogelang and Mr Boeditswe Masilo told attendants at the kgotla that their objective was to document progress made by beneficiaries in their projects. She said while at it, they also find out the challenges experienced by beneficiaries while pursuing their projects and find out ways to tackle the problems. 

She said after all this, they are due to make a presentation about their findings to President Lt Gen.  Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama and make recommendation on what needs to be done to mitigate the problems.

Councillor for Serule-Gojwane Mr Meshack Mabutho commended government for introducing the citizen empowerment programmes noting that the main objective of the initiatives is to uplift the lives of people living in poverty. However he mentioned that those that have benefited from the empowerment programmes should not benefit again from government’s destitute feeding programme since the projects they are engaged in are meant to help them move way from poverty and government hand-outs and sustain their lives.

Kgosi Oletile Modisa of Serule, called on beneficiaries to take care of their projects. He also encouraged others to take advantage of the poverty eradication programme to empower themselves. He mentioned that there is an abundance of the clay soil used in potery in the Serule area that could be exploited to make pottery. 

He encouraged residents to take advantage of such resources. Ends