24 Sep 2017

The Lady Khama Charitable Trust (LKCT) continues to improve the lives of Batswana through donations from different companies and organisations.

The patron of the trust, President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama said this at a gala dinner hosted by the trust in Gaborone on September 23.

He applauded companies and organisations that continued to donate funds to the trust as an endeavour to improve the lives of the less privileged.

He said donating was a testimony that different organisations and individuals cared for the less privileged Batswana.

The chairperson of LKCT, Mr Dale Ter Haar said the trust has continued with  Lady Khama’s legacy of raising funds and donating to beneficiaries that have a historic connection to the trust as well as once off donations to projects that supported vulnerable women and children.

“Our focus is on the rural communities where most of the vulnerable and disadvantaged children are found. I am able to say we have made some very positive and measurable steps in making these dreams a reality,” he said.

He explained that the trust had developed a programme to train and equip mothers from rural communities with the tools to run their own play groups.

Mr Ter Haar, however, noted that there was a cost of running the play grounds, and that the trust would approach the community to adopt a child.

He  added that investing in children was a duty that the trust justified.

He also noted that the trust had delivered three projects this year, and that the first was the recently completed renovation of the Camphill Community Trust Physiotherapy Centre in Otse.

He said the second was the Red Cross Tlamelong Rehabilitation Centre where the focus was to improve the lives of people living with disabilities.

He noted that the project entailed building three new tunnels for growing vegetables and providing a new borehole as well as painting the existing building.

Mr Ter Haar said the last project was a partnership with Shonaquip to help purchase specialised wheelchairs in support of an outreach programme for children with mobility disabilities throughout Botswana.

“These specialists wheelchairs aim to improve the posture of the children that use them. Improvements in posture in turn help the children avoid many secondary and dehabilitating complications,” he said. ENDS