25 Feb 2018

The Office of the President (OP) has handed over 50 layer chickens, a poultry house and an incubator to Ms Mmadomi Olopeng’s family in Mahalapye.

The donation came after Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Eric Molale pledged 50 layer chickens to help the family graduate from poverty during a house handover by President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama recently.

Handing over the poultry house, 50 chickens and an incubator to the Olopeng family on February 23, Poverty Eradication coordinator, Mr Fraser Tlhoiwe said the government’s goal was to see Batswana living dignified lives with proper shelter and empowering the less privileged members of society to provide for their families.

He said it was against this background that government through the Office of the President stepped in to assist the Olopeng family to improve their livelihood by handing over a poultry project.

He said the layer project would go a long way to assist the family economically.

He added that eggs produced would be sold to the school under the new feeding programme where primary school pupils would be fed eggs twice a week.

He said Ms Olopeng should be given priority over other suppliers, adding that one egg was sold at P2.50.

He said with time 10 chickens would be left to mate with the cock so that the eggs are placed in the incubator to produce day old chicks which will in turn be sold to other beneficiaries.

He urged Ms Olopeng to take advantage of the opportunity to change her life for the better.

He said his office would continue supporting the project with chicken feed for the next three months.

He said 20 beneficiaries in Mahalapye Sub-district had been given 50 egg layers each and provided with eight 50kg bags of feeds.

Ms Olopeng thanked government and stakeholders for the house and the poultry project.

She commended government for laying a foundation for her to improve her livelihood.

Mahalapye Administration Authority chairperson, Mr Tassman Cebani urged Ms Olopeng to take care of the house and the poultry project.  

He thanked government for the poverty eradication programme, saying that it would go a long way to improve the lives of people living in abject poverty. ENDS