23 Sep 2019

SPEDU has opened a satellite office in Maunatlala as part of the efforts to increase the organisation’s footprint and visibility to the villages within its region.

SPEDU board chairperson, Mr Tlhotlheletso Jane, said the office would service 16 villages in the Lerala-Maunatlala and four from the Mmadinare constituency.

“SPEDU has helped with facilitating projects in most of the aforementioned villages.  

The community economic facilitation function works directly and closely with communities in the region to foster developments at village level and to drive community development initiatives,” he said.

Mr Jane stated that SPEDU was working with communities to tap on their talent, nurture it and make successful projects for investment.

He said his organisation had assisted with strategic plans, implementation plans as well as capacity building workshops for community leaders.

He said his organisation was facilitating Lotsane irrigation scheme project, helping a cooperative society with a filling station project, horticulture, Bakery, milling plant and a pottery project at  Manaledi to name but a few.

“We are also part of the District Technical Advisory Committee,” he said.

He mentioned that community trusts faced some challenges such as lack of land, funding and proposal writing skills which were major hindrances for implementation of most of the community-based projects.

In mitigating these challenges, he said SPEDU created a Donor and Funding Agencies Database which was used to assist the community organisations to tap into the available funding opportunities.

He added that relevant stakeholders were engaged to collectively mitigate the challenges that may be experienced.

Mr Jane went on to state that the SPEDU region is endowed with vast natural resources, flora and fauna, good soils, unique talent and knowledge that the organisation and communities must continue to harness and package for domestic and foreign commercial exploits.

“We need to uitilise technology and our protected intellectual properties as we ride the wave of the fourth industrial revolution and move towards knowledge-based society as per the national agenda, as articulated by the government of the day,” he said.

“Think of our uniquely beautiful products, skills and knowledge in Manaledi pottery, our rich Tswapong culture and history, precious stones in Bobonong, basketry in Motlhabaneng as an example.

The possibilities are endless but we must focus,” he added.

“I am also grateful for the partnership that we continue to enjoy in this constituency, from the community, village leadership, Village Development Committees, Government both at local and national levels and our domestic and foreign investors,” he said.

For his part, the director community economic facilitation Mr James Mathokgwwane indicated that the Maunatlala office was the first to be set up and they intend to open other offices in Bobonong and Gaborone.

He said other offices would follow up as time goes on.

He said SPEDU would be working hand in hand with youth, trusts, local committees and association to foster developments and help create employment.

He mentioned that the Maunatlala office will be manned by three officers while the staff would increase as time goes on looking at the level of service needed in the region. Ends