04 Mar 2018

In an effort to give back to the community, PPC in collaboration with the Maun Administrative Authority (MAA), organised a brick making workshop to equip participants with skills to produce quality products.

The one-day workshop, which was coordinated by PPC, targeted beneficiaries from the Poverty Eradication Programme and Integrated Poverty Alleviation and Housing Scheme (IPAHS), coordinated by Self-Help Housing Agency (SHHA).

PPC has over 125 years in existence and is the leading supplier of cement in Southern Africa with eight manufacturing facilities and three milling depots in Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

However, beneficiaries some of whom had already been engaged in a brick making projects, were trained in brick making and all the processes and were encouraged to produce quality products in order to attract more customers and make better profits.

One of the facilitators, who is also a PPC sales consultant, Mr Mothusi Godirilwe explained that it was important to put on protective clothing such as boots, overalls, masks and cloves when using cement, adding that failure to do so could pose a risk in their health.

He revealed that cement has chemicals which could be harmful if not handled properly.

He also urged beneficiaries to ensure that they produced good quality bricks, adding that they should not just make bricks for the sake of selling, but stressed that quality products were key to penetrate the market.

In an interview after the training, Mr Godirilwe explained that they found it fit to play a key role in assisting Batswana to become self-employed and support their families hence the brick making training.

He said they had come up with a strategy to forge partnerships with government departments which had brick construction projects and individuals in similar projects to see how best they could assist each other.

He said there aim was to see projects growing and producing expected results, adding that “we want to create an enabling environment for sustainable black businesses so that they become competitive.”

The company, he said, aims to maximise purchases from citizen empowered companies in order to promote entrepreneurship and enterprise development in local communities.

Mr Godirilwe further said it was their intention to support government programmes such as the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) and council initiatives in construction as they could make arrangements and identify areas of cooperation.

For his part, MAA deputy chairperson, Mr Vepaune Moreti thanked PPC for their gesture, noting that participants had learned a lot and that he believed that those interested could consider partnering with PPC to start successful businesses.

He urged participants to share information with others and to work as a team for the success of their projects.

Earlier on, MAA principal social development officer, Ms Keitumetse Kgosimoloi appreciated the partnership with PPC to augment their efforts to empower communities economically.

She said their teachings would assist beneficiaries to produce more bricks, sell in bulk and make better profits.

She explained that seven of the beneficiaries were from Phuduhudu, and were in the process of being assisted to start a brick making project under poverty eradication programme. 

She said the rest were beneficiaries of IPAHS which catered for low income people who did not qualify for SHHA loans and the Turnkey facility.

The scheme aims go train rural and urban low income households to acquire productive skills such as brick moulding, brick laying, business skills and to establish and manage their businesses.

Ms Kgosimoloi said it was hoped that the productive skills and income that the beneficiaries acquired would enable them to build their own houses through self-help and have dignified shelters. ENDS