26 Aug 2013

Batswana have been urged to play a positively role by contributing towards schools that cater for people living with disabilities instead of relying on foreign donors.

Officially opening the two-day regional special olympics competitions in Maun, the Member of Parliament for Maun East, Frank Ramsden, who is also the patron of Thuso Rehabilitation Centre said the notion of always begging for assistance from foreign missions made Batswana lose their dignity.

“Imagine if all the 50 000 Maun people could contribute P1 every month to such a cause and you multiply that by 12 months, it is a lot of money,” he said. He said if the spirit of being patriotic and self-reliant were to prevail, Batswana would not turn into beggars. Mr Ramsden also appealed to Batswana to become patrons of schools and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to mould the leaders of tomorrow.

Ramsden further said the special olympics competition is a step in the right direction as it lifts children’s spirits and self-belief.  “These children living with all kinds of disabilities are people just like us,” he said.

He indicated that government resources are stretched; hence a lot has to come from Batswana to assist people living with disabilities. For his part, Kgosi Oleyo Ledimo said in the past, people living with disabilities were not taken seriously but this has changed drastically over the years.

He indicated that disability is not inability, adding that disabled people have a role to play in the country’s economy and they should be taken seriously. ENDS