02 Feb 2020

The Founder and Director of Re Fa Ka Bone Caring Centre, Ms Akanyang Mokwena has made an appeal for the center to be allocated a piece of land.

Ms Mokwena made the plea during the South East District Council community service day on January 31

She told the council leadership that the center could not fully execute its mandate as it did not have adequate accommodation.   Among the functions which could not be fulfilled, she said  was overnight stay and accommodation of people with mental disorder and the elderly.

 Ms Mokwena said some of the elders and people with mental disorder sometimes needed to be cared for beyond the current schedule, while their caregivers were attended other social engagements.

If allocated land to build a structure, the center would be able to provide accommodation for its clients.

She said that there were donors who could provide financial assistance to start the construction project but lack of land was a hindrance.

She said in the past, the Malete land board allocated them a piece of land which was too small and the land board had promised to allocate them a bigger plot one, but ‘the promise has not been fulfilled.’

Ms Mokwena said Re Fa Ka Bone Caring Centre had been helpful in caring for the elderly and people with mental disorders.

Therefore, she made a plea with the community to care and love the elderly and people with mental disorder.

The South East District Council Deputy Chairperson Mr Dintle Kereng said non-governmental organisations such as Re Fa Ka Bone Caring Centre played a vital role in the community hence the council had made a commitment to work with non-government organizations.

 He said in the past, the council used to offer financial assistance to non-governmental organizations in its jurisdiction but failure to account ruined the arrangement.

Nonetheless, Mr Kereng explained that currently, the council was not able to undertake such due to the tight budget.

Further, he called upon non-governmental organisations in the district to approach the council to offer presentations during full council sittings as a way of raising awareness about their services.  

The South East District Council donated food hampers, clothes to the center as well as cleaning and spending time with the elderly and mentally disabled. ENDS