11 Jun 2017

Little Thato Tsheko (not real name) plays unconcerned and undeterred by family history or the whereabouts of her biological parents.

She has since found a home at SOS village in Serowe.

The village has been written indelibly in her heart as her caretakers and village employees are the only parents she had ever known and connects to on a daily basis.

Serowe SOS village is where little Thato’s dreams would be chartered and carved.

On June 10, during the double celebrations of 30 SOS villages’ 30 years existence in Botswana and father’s day, little Thato was amongst a host of other vulnerable and orphaned children who sprung from their chairs, wearing beaming smiles across their innocent faces and waving to the guests who attended the event, as they were introduced as residents of Serowe SOS village.

It was during these celebrations that Kgosi Mokhutshwane Sekgoma challenged communities against ‘abusing the noble intentions of SOS.’

Kgosi Mokhutshwane argued that the existence of SOS villages was clear indication of failed societal values.

In his deliberations, Kgosi Mokhutshwane said had the society appreciated core values of child upbringing, SOS villages would be non-existent.

And in his speech the village leader threw questions to members of the community especially men.

He challenged those who attended the two events that saw Club 66 (a 10 member club of those born in 1966) donate toiletries worth P3 000 to the village, to devise ways of bringing up the children at SOS.

The club has committed to donating toiletries worth P3 000 to SOS Serowe village every three months.

“Should we celebrate or take stock of ourselves as to why we have SOS villages?” Kgosi Mokhutshwane asked rather rhetorically before arguing that during his days they grew up without orphanage institutions yet orphans were cared for by relatives and the community without stigma and discrimination.

Whilst conceding and hailing the existence of SOS Kgosi Mokhutshwane warned against overburdening the institutions arguing that relatives should take their rightful place in raising orphans.

He sought to know how much the relatives and society would do before resorting to referring a child to SOS.

Though he applauded integration of SOS children into the society, Kgosi Mokhutshwane called on the village management to exercise caution and consider the age of the child in which the process was carried.

Whilst celebrating the important role played by SOS villages in ensuring that every child belonged to a family and grew with love, respect and security, Serowe SOS village education coordinator Mr Bikie Morebodi appealed for help to necessitate their plans to acquire a third home for integration.

Already two families, a caretaker and children that stayed in SOS, have been moved to some house in Radihemelo, Serowe, for integration into the society.

In these homes, Mr Morebodi informed that they will not be labeled to avoid stigma.

The village has 12 houses which are manned by caretakers and each house bears the name of its donor.

Serowe village, established in 2009, is the latest establishment and one of the three SOS villages countrywide.

The other two are in Tlokweng and Francistown. ENDS