13 Nov 2019

Felton Fleet and Feed Botswana company representative, Miss Jan Vaughan Davies has challenged Francistown Centre for the Deaf Education (FCDE) to use their donation as a profitable business opportunity.

She said this at Francistown on November 12 when her company was donating 400 layers and chicken feeds to the centre.

Ms Davies said the ultimate goal of the project was to provide food security to the centre and also help the centre to be financially stable.

She said while the centre would be responsible for turning this project into a sustainable business, they expect revenue from the business to be reinvested into the school and wider community.

The representative said if managed well, the project is capable of creating employment also benefit the students through transfer skills of knowledge of the business.

Further, Miss Davies said the project would help the school raise funds to provide better supplies and facilities, which would help empower the deaf community.

She explained that Feed and Read Botswana would provide training for the staff, provide the materials required for the project and will continuously monitor it.

For her part, FCDE school head, Ms Marguerite Chilimba said the project was going to enhance the school performance particularly in Agriculture as a subject.

She said the project was also going to strengthen partnership between the centre and the Davies family.

Ms Chilimba explained that the school offers pre-school, pre-vocational and primary school .

For pre-vocational classes, they offer dress making and leather making.

She expressed gratitude to the Davies family for their noble gesture and also the parents for finding it necessary to give back to the community.

Giving the closing remarks, senior teacher for pre-vocational and skills development, Mr Phillip Mokgosi said the main beneficiaries are the learners, hence the school would ensure that the project was taken care of and sustained.

Mr Mokgosi explained that the donation would bring joy to the learners, adding that it would help them in their school performance, especially in their practical exams.

The donation forms the list of donations that the centre has been enjoying.

Companies that had so far donated include Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa mines which donated toiletries, blankets and snacks while Standard Chartered Bank (Francistown branch) donated school tracksuits during winter.

Dodo’s Shoe Shop in Francistown also gave a helping hand during winter by donating hot water bottles and school shoes.

The Zebras and the women’s national football team also came on board this year and donated sanitary pads, food items, and soccer balls.

Belgium midwifery and nursing students recently donated hampers to children as a way of giving back to the community. ENDS