15 May 2018

A professional tour guide at Gcwhihaba National Monument, Mr Jobe Marenga has underscored the need for locals to know and appreciate the natural resources in their surroundings with the aim to protect and preserve them for the future generations.

He said it was disheartening that the elderly who had rich information regarding some heritage and natural sites were dying hence the need to engage those still alive to get the necessary information.

He said the elderly should teach the youth how to preserve such for the future.

Mr Marenga made the remarks after a tour of Gcwhihaba caves by some employees from different departments under the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration.

The employees visited the area on a team building exercise and community service day at Xaixai village where they were building a two-roomed house for one of the needy persons.

Mr Marenga said Botswana was fortunate to have the Gcwhihaba National Monument, which had a unique geographical layout with the most pristine landscapes rich in natural resources and a strong cultural heritage.

The area, he said, had a lot of rich history which needed to be shared with visitors and thanked the organisers for hosting the team building exercise at the area.

“This is the first group to visit the caves this year and we really appreciate your efforts because we want to see more of the locals coming to the area to experience and see the beauty of the caves and its surroundings,” he added.

He said most of the time they were receiving tourists from outside the country and encouraged Batswana to develop the interest to travel and appreciate the beauty of tourism.

Some of the employees who visited the area for the first time had an opportunity to traverse the caves and could not believe that the area was in Botswana.

With its look, they said the area remained one of the most attractive areas in the country which would keep on attracting local and international tourists.

Gcwihaba caves, located 36km south east of Xaixai village, are rated amongst the most extraordinary in the world. Gcwihaba is a fascinating underground labyrinthe of caverns and pits, linked passages, fantastical stalagmite and stalactite formations, and beautifully coloured flowstones that appear like waterfalls of rock.

The chief organiser, Mr Joe Garebagae informed the employees that they should understand that they visited the area for a purpose and thus to promote team building in different activities.

He said team building was an important activity which could motivate employees to be more productive in their workplaces. He said the fun activities they engage in help them see each other in a different light and also allow them to connect in a different setting.

Okavango District Commissioner, Mr Thabang Waloka thanked all for coming and wished the district could at least host two team building exercises in a year.

He said team building exercise gave employees an opportunity to come together, take a break from their busy schedules, interact to know each other better and share ideas.

In addition, he said one of the most powerful reasons for team building was to get results. Mr Waloka revealed that team bonding activities also improved workplace projects that involved teamwork. ENDS