26 Mar 2019

Public libraries need to be well resourced in order to play a significant role in the promotion of a culture of reading in the country,  President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

Welcoming American entrepreneurs and philanthropists, Mr Bill and Mrs Sara Rothschild at the Office of the President on March 24, Dr Masisi said the nation needed to be encouraged to read in order to strengthen knowledge.

“In the old days here in Gaborone we used to go to the National Library and there was reading time; where a librarian would read to children and the children would themselves read.  Being an educationist by training, I understand the positive effects developing a culture of reading from a young age could have on a child’s cognitive development.  We need to develop students and community members who are into reading and we need to have libraries that promote this,” Dr Masisi said.

Through the Robert and Sara Rothschild Foundation, the Rothschilds have built 16 libraries across Botswana and planned constructing an additional four which earned them praises from the President who said government was grateful for the benevolence.

“We hold you in high regard,” Dr Masisi said, “we thank you, you build really nice libraries, the good aesthetics, the ambiance enhance the process of promoting the ideals, the values of reading.  As a nation, one of our national ideals is self-reliance, and in promoting this narrative we hope you can use your expertise to inspire Batswana and transfer the skills you have accumulated over time,” remarked the President.

Mr Rothschild said they would like to see every library having a counsellor who would assist youngsters in different localities countrywide with guidance and counselling for their career paths.

“There is the challenge of young people and unemployment and the library being a community centre could be used to inspire school-going children to start looking at their potential career paths or entrepreneurship,” Mr Rothschild said.

He revealed that they have developed a programme with the US’ Oregon State University which would see 10 students coming to Botswana in July to work in conjunction with government departments and explore ways of assisting the country in different fields such as public health and agriculture.

Mr Rothschild said they were in the process of finalising plans to construct a clinic in the country having partnered with local businesses.

For her part, Ms Rothschild said in the US where they originate from, every small town had a library that was why they were inspired to similarly assist Botswana to develop such basic educational social infrastructure.

“We have been involved in the country for a long time now and the last library we built was in Hukuntsi a year ago.  We first came to the country through the work of Habitat for Humanity in 2005, and we were introduced to Setswana culture.  We started work at Matlhakola near Macheng, and over the years we have intention of continuing with our work in Botswana,” Ms Rothschild said. ENDS