20 Aug 2013

The Department of Deeds, under the Ministry of Lands and Housing, has heeded government’s call to assist the under privileged members of the society.

The department’s offices in Francistown and Gaborone donated school uniforms, stationery as well as school bags valued at P12 000 to 52 students of Makobo Primary School in the Tonota North constituency.

Speaking at the event, the head of health and safety committee for the two stations, Ms Mmamoruti Manewe said public servants were fortunate in that they were able to get something at the end of the month and take it to their families.

However, he noted that some parents could not afford to care for their children, let alone buy necessities such as school uniforms so that their children could look presentable.

And such situations, she said, led to some children dropping out of school at a young age because while their peers wore uniforms, they were forced to attend school in their own clothes.

These circumstances, she highlighted, prompted them to make a difference in the lives of such children so that they too could be identified with their school uniform and be proud to be students.

To raise the funds, Ms Manewe explained that the two offices came with different initiatives to raise funds, the Gaborone office sold breakfast in their offices and on Fridays they had casual Fridays where each staff member had to contribute P5.00. The Francistown office, she noted also had casual Fridays and also organised a car wash for staff.

In addition, she said apart from their fundraising initiatives, they also asked for assistance from their stakeholders among them conveyancers and suppliers.

Appreciating the gesture on behalf of the regional education officer, the principal education officer in Tutume Sub-district, Mr Kenneth Habana said often children were left out when their parents received donations and said the gesture by the Department of Deeds would change the lives of beneficiaries.

Mr Habana further added that with school uniform, one was not able to differentiate between the students from well off families and those from needy households.

“You have uplifted the dignity of these children and their family backgrounds will no longer matter when they are on their school uniform,” said Mr Habana.

He therefore appealed to the villagers to be compassionate and assist their needy neighbours with washing powders to clean their children’s uniforms and clothes. Ends