12 Mar 2018

 Eloyi Church Women’s league have been described as the Mary Magdalenes of today as such women are loving, caring, compassionate and motherly.

Speaking at the handover ceremony of gifts to Mahalapye Primary School Special Education Class in Mahalapye over the weekend, Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Moiseraele Goya said giving children living with disabilities gifts made them feel special and loved.

Borrowing from the Bible teachings, Mr Goya likened Eloyi Church Women’s league to the story of Mary Magdalene.

He said such women have always been a special breed of people even in Biblical times.

Led by Mary Magdalene, he said women demonstrated love, summoned all the courage to visit Jesus tomb only to discover that he had risen and went about to spread the message on his resurrection.

Further, he said children with disabilities deserved learning opportunities just like any other, adding that by making this donation the church of God is agreeing with the government that no one should be left behind.

He said for a very long time not enough efforts were made to cater for children with special needs.

“At home they were kept in the background, away from the public eye, now we say let them come out and get the support they need,” he said.

Mr Goya, who is also MP for Palapye, said the government was expanding access to education opportunities, calling on the private sector to beef up government efforts.

He said government was fighting to create an inclusive society catering for all citizens including people with disabilities, hence ensuring an inclusive and equitable quality education.

For her part, Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso thanked Eloyi Church Women’s league for the donation, urging them to continue contributing positively to changing the lives of Batswana for the better.

She said Eloyi the church was synonymous with donations which helped less privileged members of society and vulnerable groups live a dignified life.

She urged the church to pray against social ills besieging the society as well as HIV/AIDS adding that HIV/AIDS infections were still high.

She urged them to pray against HIV/AIDS, gender based violence, rape and other challenges affecting women and the girl child.

Eloyi Women’s league representative, Ms Patricia Othusitse said their contribution as Eloyi church ladies should not be confined to the church, but should also touch on the lives of other people outside the church.

She thanked parents of children living with disabilities for ensuring that the children have access to education like any  other children.

She assured them that having been blessed with such children does not mean that they committed a sin.

She also called on the government to enhance protection of women and girl children against domestic violence, rape, murder and other forms of abuse.

The area councillor, Ms Julia Miranda commended government for signing the SADC Gender Protocol, adding that it would give women the opportunity to assume leadership positions.

She said women were as capable as their male counterparts.

She also thanked Eloyi church for the donation, adding “blessed is the hand that giveth. Ends