17 Nov 2019

The Director of SOS Botswana Mr Motshwari Kitso says SOS will be de-institutionalised so that the centres become more homely without any branding.

Speaking during sponsors’ appreciation party in Gaborone recently, Mr Kitso pointed out that they had since started removing all features and signage from their properties to remove stigma attached to them. 

He said removal of SOS branding was an effort to reduce the stigma generally attached to orphanages, necessary to enable the children to integrate well and fast into the society. Mr Kitso pointed out that the move had since proved to be effective because through their pilot project which they carried across the country, the results had shown that the children loved and approved of such change.

“The results are there for everyone to see because those that we have put into foster care in our communities have since improved in their academic work, their confidence levels are high and there is no stigma”, he said.

The director divulged that they had over time graduated a number of students from their villages who were now fully independent and self-supporting, adding that there was no doubt that there was a good return on investment.

He went on to re-assure the attendees that SOS villages would always be there because they were mostly a result of social ills, while in the past it was mainly because of the scourge of HIV/AIDS.

Furthermore Mr Kitso said lately they were mostly dealing with an influx of un-accompanied minors in their villages because of problems of human trafficking which was now rampant in the region, adding that such occurrence warrant the existence of SOS but in an improved form.

He revealed that last year they had to accommodate 56 minors as a result of human trafficking and investigations indicated that they were coming from far and wide across the continent.

The SOS director stated that the new model that their villages were taking did not mean that they no longer needed donations, hence the need for closer cooperation going forward.

“We need to stand in unison to support our children and I am challenging you to bring on board new partners who will help us make the lives of our children easy and enjoyable”. 

For his part the Board Chairman Major Gen. Bakwena Oitsile expressed gratitude towards the donors for their continued support over the years. He revealed that they had properties that needed to be developed, and in need of partnerships so that they could generate funds.

Major Gen. Oitsile said the properties included farms and clinics which could be rented by the private sector. He pointed out that SOS had  graduated many professionals from across the spectrum.

In their testimonies, some graduates of SOS said the villages gave them renewed hope in life, pointing out that they were now playing a fostering role as well. Ends