22 Feb 2018

Since the inception of the Poverty Eradication Programme, 307 alternative package projects have been funded, says Kanye Administrative Authority (KAA) Sub-District chairperson, Mr Tlhomamo Dibeela.

Officially opening the KAA Sub-Council meeting on Monday, Mr Dibeela said the projects were funded to the tune of over P10 million. He said some of the achievements attained this financial year included a decrease in the backlog from 495 projects to 435.

Mr Dibeela said 120 beneficiaries who were once funded under the backyard garden initiative were re-assessed to check their socio economic status, and that 16 were found to have improved their livelihoods.

He added that 42 remained with their projects while 39 changed to other alternative packages. He noted that five beneficiaries participated in the Southern District and National Poverty Eradication Exposition where they made meaningful contacts for business and sales.

He added that 149 beneficiaries against the targeted 292 saw their businesses or projects take a new twist through the knowledge they acquired from refresher business management training by experts that were organised for them.

Concerning agricultural packages, the department received 1 192 qualified beneficiaries from the Department of Social and Community Development (S&CD).

The chairperson said the department has managed to train 1 052 beneficiaries, and that 140 were awaiting training while 530 had been funded. He noted that 457 projects were operational and 73 were not operating.

About the LIMID programme, he said applications have been received since LIMID Phase II out of which 1 397 were approved while 72 await assessment.

He stated that as for the husbandry packages, 49 were approved out of 57 applications and that 744 poorly resourced projects had been funded and that 528 were awaiting funding.

Concerning the Youth Development Fund (YDF), Mr Dibeela said the youth office received 41 project proposals and that 31 were approved and funded.

He said all approved projects have been funded and have created 25 employment opportunities, bringing the  number of employed youths in KAA to 468 since inception.

He, however, noted that loan recovery was still a challenge as youth beneficiaries were not servicing their loans as anticipated.Ends