16 Nov 2017

Deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Basic Education, Mr Simon Coles has expressed gratitude toward sponsors for  contributing towards making the Desert Bush Walk 2018 launch a successful event.

Mr Coles said the donation of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) touched the hearts of the concerned as they had seen the impact ICT in children’s lives by opening them up to the big world.

“The idea that you are raising funds and donating computers, like what Botho University has done continues to impress us as a ministry and we are very grateful for that,” he said.

He pleaded with other stakeholders to ensure that Botswana was globally competitive.

He also applauded the idea of over 2 000 people registering for the walk and commended the doers.

He urged the organisation not to hesitate to seek support and help from the ministry if need arose.

Mr Coles also pledged to partake in next year’s Desert Bush Walk.

The CSI Concept board member, Ms Lebogang Pillar said the Desert Bush Walk was the creation of some idealistic souls with a burning desire to give back to a community that had given them so much.

It all started in 2014 as a concept from an ideal creative learning centre that houses a carpentry lab and a library in Sese.

This was done through the participation of the first 400 walkers and some sponsors who believed in the idea.

In 2016, the winter Desert Bush Walk saw over 1 300 people participating and various sponsors assisting in equipping the Jwaneng – Mabutsane Resource Centre that serves 19 primary schools in the area, with computers and an industrial photocopying machine.

Ms Pillar said they also donated to the Operation New Xanagas Charity Drive that assists orphans and under privileged children.

In 2017, over 2 000 people graced the Desert Bush Walk and sponsors and donors were able to raise P235 000, which would be donated to the advancement of the education sector in Botswana.

“One might wonder what drives the CSI foundation to pursue such ideals.

Well, our main objective is to raise funds and carry out projects that deal with education (primary, secondary and tertiary), development of skills and skills transfer as well as literacy programmes,” she said.

She stated that the walk promoted healthy living, hence the need for individuals to exercise regularly.

Ms Pillar said one of their greatest delights and joys was seeing the faces of their walkers at the finishing line, glowing from the feel of perseverance, tenacity having conquered that harsh terrain.

She also noted that they also strove to promote tourism in areas that one would not have ordinarily thought of as a tourist site.

“Today marks one of our proud moments, where we gather to donate, from the proceeds of the 2017 Desert Bush Walk to causes chosen by our board of trustees,” she said.

She was hopeful that the donations would have a positive impact on the selected beneficiaries.

For his part, MP for Jwaneng/Mabutsane, Mr Shawn Ntlhaile thanked the organisers and sponsors of the Desert Bush Walk, the community and surrounding areas, who had supported the walk year in and year out without failure.

He said it was such a commitment and variation that needed to prosper in the nation to create lasting legacies and empowering the future generations.

Mr Ntlhaile said to the organisers, ‘You have indeed shown that mabogo dinku a a thebana by how you support the Ministry of Basic Education in realising its targets.”

He said he was touched to see an organisation like the Desert Bush Walk being so committed and focused in giving out a developmental donation.

The Desert Bush Walk had its hand over ceremony of donations from sponsors and members of the community recently.

The event has been running annually since 2014, and has managed to raise funds to aid numerous primary schools in Botswana.

The event this year raised P235 600 in which P16 300 would go to each of the selected schools towards the development of early childhood development.

P20 000 will be donated to Acacia Primary School towards the development of chess in the school and a further P20 000 will be given to Sese Primary School to continue their development process.

The walk is to be held next year on July 28. ENDS