14 May 2017

President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama has commended participants and sponsors for commitment to the Lady Khama Charitable Trust (LKCT) fundraising events.  
Speaking during the appreciation lunch for riders and sponsors of the Ghanzi Horse Endurance Relay in Gaborone on Friday, through which LKCT raised funds for its charitable projects, President Khama explained that consistent funding from companies had helped the Trust to successfully finance deserving projects in a timely manner.  
He thanked horse riders, horse owners and support staff for their dedication and commitment to ensuring that the relay was successful.

“To the horse owners and the route partners I wish to thank you for the very kind donations and volunteering your time to help us once again having successfully completed this year’s Ghanzi Horse Endurance Relay. Your assistance has helped us to raise funds from the leg sponsors to go directly to where it is intended,” President Khama said.
He said without dedication and commitment from the sponsors the race would not have achieved its intended objectives:

“Without such commitment we would not have been able to achieve what we have. The leg sponsors need special thanks, and I would also like to express a high level of gratitude to you for that sponsorship and your continued support. Your support to charitable organisations such as ours must be commended.”
He said a good part of the money raced from the endurance horse relay would go towards funding Sekgele Training Home Society, a registered society based in Gumare, which was established in 2009 in response to the need for early childhood stimulation for people living with disabilities in the Okavango area.

Ghanzi South MP, Mr Christiaan De Graaff explained that 10 horses and riders competed in the endurance horse relay, which was on its eighth year.
The legislator said the endurance horse relay commenced on Monday in Ghanzi and finished on Thursday in Gabane, with the horses travelling a total of 722 kilometres over four days.
Chairperson of LKCT, Mr Dale Ter Haar stated that the endurance horse relay had raised more than P8 million for the Trust over a period of eight years.

Mr Ter Haar said the Trust had grown from strength to strength since it was founded in 2002 and had up to date disbursed in excess of P13 million to more than 44 organisations, some of which support vulnerable women and children.
He said the horse endurance relay last year raised over P2 million.
He said the Trust funded the Botswana Retired Nurses Society Day Care Centre and Camphill Community Trust last year.

“The Botswana Retired Nurses Society Day Care Centre was awarded close to P1.68 million to construct a double-storey day care centre that will have four classrooms, learner and teacher ablutions and kitchen and a store-rooms.
This increased capacity will allow their annual learner intake to increase from 50 to 120 vulnerable children living in and around Tlokweng aged between one-and-a-half and six years.
I am happy to announce that this project is near completion,” he said.
He said Camphill Community Trust was awarded over P400 000 to renovate dilapidated physio therapy rooms. He said there were over 140 children at Camphill, which currently uses under-sized rooms. ENDS