05 Aug 2019

AGORA Club Botswana has donated spectacles to 47 learners from different schools in Ghanzi Township.

Speaking at the donation ceremony, the founder of AGORA Club Botswana Ms Kgomotso Tshekiso, said the club, which was officially launched in 2015, is affiliated to AGORA Club International and has branches in 19 countries.

Ms Tshekiso said members of AGORA Club International are women who participate in several social, cultural and international activities where they meet and exchange ideas with women from other countries.

“Our motto is service and tolerance,” she said.

The founder said AGORA Club International introduced a project called Eyes for the World,  three years ago, and  more than five countries, including Botswana, are part of it.

Ms Tshekiso said the process adopted was to identify a local Optometrist to test, operate and guide on testing the children.

She said they realised that poor eyesight could affect a child’s performance in class.

She said in some cases, they identified unusual visual disorders that need further diagnosis therefore, they engaged a specialist.

Ms Tshekiso said in October 2018, AGORA Club Botswana was awarded P100 000 by President Dr Mokgweetsi  Masisi which was donated by First Capital Bank, to embark on a journey to replicate a project done in Gaborone.

She said they then decided to adopt Ghanzi and 51 learners with visual challenges were identified in seven schools.

She said the 45 students were identified and diagnosed put  on various treatment plans, while two had more complex problems like cornea disorder and would be referred to a specialist in Gaborone.

Ms Tshekiso said in June 2019, Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) donated P50 000 to assist in the treatment of 47 of the learners identified with visual problems.

She further said  AGORA Club International is a voluntary and non-profit organization, hence to achieve that their mandate, they solicit and receive donations from different sources across the world as well as from AGORA clubs in other countries.

Ms Tshekiso extended their gratitude to First Capital Bank and BITC, who enabled them to help the underprivileged.

Councillor Onalethata Ngati of Bosele ward in Ghanzi thanked AGORA and BITC for the gesture, saying the pupils, who were struggling to read and write as result of poor sight, were assisted.

He thanked the donors for choosing to donate in Ghanzi village, and pleaded with them to continue identifying other pupils with the same challenges in other areas.

He appealed to beneficiaries to take good care of the gifts. ENDS