09 Apr 2017

Liberty Life Botswana and Alexander Forbes Financial Services Botswana have launched a strategic collaboration called Lerudi Funeral Scheme.

Speaking at the launch recently, Alexander Forbes managing director, Mr Paul Masie said in their continuous efforts to find ways in which they could help and afford protection to burial societies, they conducted a survey to identify what gaps existed in Botswana so that they found ways to close them.

“We realised a gap existed between monthly contributions made by the individuals and the actual payout they got from their contributions as the contributions are high, while the payout was low,” he said.

Mr Masie said Lerudi would be able to offer the market higher funeral benefits with low contributions.

“Through this collaboration, we believe that we will be able to avail a platform to societies that will enable them to provide members with greater benefits at a much lower cost or contribution,” he said.

He further said it was common place in Botswana for people to come together to form collectives that supported each other during times of need, adding burial societies were part of a society that brought them together to assist each other’s families during times of need and mourning after the departure of a loved one .

Liberty Life managing director, Ms Lula Rasebotsa said Lerudi which translated to “a shoulder to lean on” was a scheme that would provide enhanced burial society offerings that would benefit members in terms of payouts and improve records management.

“Today this collaboration brings us closer to answering the questions that everyone asks themselves in relation to their passing; who will assist my family during this trying time,will I get the dignified sendoff that I deserve,” Ms Rasebotsa said.

She further said the scheme improved and built upon burial societies that were already in existence, both formally and informally to provide a single platform in which all these societies could function under one roof.

Lerudi Funeral Scheme carries additional support benefits over and above the actual funeral, to include the days leading up to the funeral.

The benefits included contributions towards merapelo (daily prayer and comfort meetings), airtime for making arrangements, and other relevant activities, whilst the support benefits included a tombstone, grocery and a beast/cow which would be paid as cash lump sum to the family. ENDS