09 Apr 2018

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse has challenged Batswana to provide for underprivileged members of society with basic needs such as shelter, food and clothing.

Speaking at the official handing over of a house by Swaneng Hill School community (teachers, support staff, students and parents and teachers association) to former student recently, Mr Leungo Sosome at Go-Konyana ward, Serowe, Mr Autlwetse wished such benevolence could be replicated nationwide.

“Mogopolo o ke rata o aname jaaka bolwetsi ja lepero,” said the assistant minister wishing that the initiative by Swaneng Hill School to build a former student a house could be replicated around the country.

He said according destitute persons, shelter and other basic human needs put them at par with other humans, hence bridging the gap and ridding them of the resultant distinguishing names.

Mr Autlwetse, whose ministry also builds houses for the needy under destitute housing at various councils, cultivated the spirit of hatching plans to assist the disadvantaged members of society and called for rallying behind such noble gestures saying, “Kana molelo o gotswa ke motho a le mongwe, ba bangwe ba tla ka go ora.”

He said Botswana would be a fantastic place if everyone could make it their mandate to care for the less privileged.

Mr Autlwetse, also Member of Parliament for Serowe North, appealed to the beneficiaries to care for the donation and also took pride in the fact that he was the first minister under President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s administration to handover a house and at his constituency.

Serowe Administration Authority subordinate council chairperson, Mr Mpho Kooreme commended teachers for going beyond call of duty ‘to go an extra mile.’

Mr Kooreme revealed that the council was overwhelmed with long list of application for destitute housing and therefore the house handed over to Sosome family came in handy.

He found that the donation would change the lives of the beneficiaries especially that it was done with love.

Receiving the house, Leungo’s mother, Ms Lekgobo Sosome, in tears humbled herself before the benefactors and shared that the need they saw on her son was a true reflection of the family.

“I was really in need and this led me to leading a nomadic life where at times my children, upon arrival from school would be shocked to find that I had left the last house I slept at,” said the visibly grateful Lekgobo detailing the pains of leading a life of constant begging.

The school had identified Leungo back in 2014, when he was still a student there.

They established a committee charged with fundraising for the project and seeking expertise where needed to augment what they already had.

Building of the popular two and half house, with red stock bricks, started in earnest last year. ENDS