27 May 2013

Botswana Ash on May 24 handed over a utility hall to Botswana Council of Women in Maitengwe. 

Botswana Ash Human resources manager, Mr Sabelo Ntuthuko said the P200 000 hall was built as a delegated aspect of corporate social responsibility.

Mr Ntuthuko explained that Botswana Ash was approached by BCW in 2002 to be assisted with the project. Mr Ntuthuko said even though the company was very much stretched in terms of resources, both financially and in terms of personnel, they offered to assist.

He said they encountered a few challenges, especially obtaining water and power, but thanked the people of Maitengwe who partnered with them to ensure water and power provision for the success of the project.

The human resource manager thanked Kgosi and village elders who assisted with a shelter for the building material storage.

Mr Ntuthuko said Botswana Ash Company had recently concluded its corporate strategy, where they were committed to spend at least one per cent of the company profits on corporate social responsibility projects.

He said during the financial year 2011/2012 they spent just over half a million pula on a wide range of corporate social responsibility initiatives and thus proving the company commitment to this key strategic imperative and ideal of corporate citizenship.

Mr Ntuthuko noted that social challenges that face, not just the country but the whole world were enormous and ever increasing. They included among others, declining revenue, poverty, diseases, death of the young from preventable diseases and youth unemployment, he added.

He thanked government for its response not only to curb but also to reduce the impact of those challenges.

On other issues, he noted that challenges cannot be left to government alone to tackle, hence the need for the corporate world to continue to review their contributions towards addressing some of these social ills as part of their corporate strategies.

He said despite challenges faced by the company as a business due to a fierce and competitive market of soda ash and salt, they were committed to continue assisting communities especially those in the areas they operate.

Botswana Council of Women president, Ms Francinah Ramatlhakwane said BCW is a non-governmental organisation formed in 1965 whose mandate was to provide services, guidance, development and promotion for women and their children.

She noted that it assisted women with projects, monitoring, and provided technical as well as professional advice. She also highlighted that BCW has contributed to the country’s development since 1965.

Ms Ramatlhakwane said the major mandate of the council was the empowerment of women and girls to start income generating projects and to become responsible wives and mothers.

She said, in this respect, the BCW created an opportunity for them to pursue social and economic activities that are of benefit to their families and the country.

“The council revolved around facilitating education and training around women’s domestic responsibilities such as sewing, waiving and home economic,” she noted.

She encouraged young ladies not to distance themselves from the council as it had many programmes that could help them. 

 Member of Parliament for Nkange and also Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Mr Edwin Batshu thanked Botswana Ash for encouraging and demonstrating vision pillars.

 Mr Batshu said the Batshu family helped the council by buying them council uniform worth P10 300. “They bought uniforms for Dugwi and Maitengwe to the tune of P4700 and P5600, respectively.

 Mr Batshu said BCW encouraged and promoted national unity in the country. He noted that the BCW vision and mission worked towards the realisation of the goals of the Botswana Vision 2016 strategy. 

He thanked the council for its deliberate effort to enhance the status of women. He said BCW created an opportunity for women and young girls to pursue social and economic activities.

He said the council revolved around facilitating education and training around women’s domestic responsibilities as mothers, wives and other stereotypical roles. Ends