23 Feb 2020

The annual Desert Bush Walk in conjunction with CSI Foundation on Friday handed over projects to some beneficiaries from its proceeds of last year’s bush walk, as well as appreciate sponsors and volunteers.

Speaking at the ceremony held at Kanaku settlement near Mabutsane, the Assistant Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Mr Buti Billy said that his ministry took exceptional consideration in promoting private sector involvement in sport as a way of life for its citizenry to improve their health and wellbeing.

He said that could however, not be achieved unless there was sound corporate social investment, and thereby appreciated all those that made possible the annual desert bush walk especially that it took a lot of sacrifice to organise an annual walk that attracted participants from all over the world.

Mr Billy also appreciated the 3 000 participants that took part in last year’s walk, among them the Vice President, Mr Slumber Tsogwane who was the guest walker.

Part of the proceeds procured a porta cabin for Kanaku Primary School, with other beneficiaries receiving P250 000.. Mr Billy also encouraged CSI-Concept Foundation to keep attracting more sponsors and participants for the event as part of a quest to transform the economy through sport tourism.

He also indicated that the desert bush walk’s dream of changing lives in the last six years had an enormous impact looking at some of the projects they had achieved throughout the country.

Mabutsane Sub-district principal architect, Mr Kenanao Kgopolo indicated that the Kanaku reception class project was completed within time, scope and budget, and that they had initially planned to construct a classroom, but thanks to the assistance of the Desert Bush Walk, they would now divert the funds to their other need.

He also said that they preferred porta cabins because they were much cheaper, but appealed for more assistance as he said that the porta cabins were without furniture for the learners.

He also said that it was their hope as a sub-district that the porta cabins would enhance the level of education in the small settlement of Kanaku.

For her part, CSI-board member, Ms Olivia Nthoi indicated that the main objectives of CSI Concepts Foundation and the Desert Bush Walk were to make sustainable contributions towards the education, development and empowerment of marginalised communities in Botswana.

She said that they also aimed to encourage health and wellness, whilst growing hiking as a sport of interest and creating environmental awareness in Botswana.

“We do not want to become an impactful organization that exists exclusively for leisure, but one that changes lives and lifestyles. We also want to grow sports tourism sector under domestic and international tourism through unique hiking excursions throughout Botswana,” she said.

Ms Nthoi indicated that the desert bush walk also has many socio-economic benefits such as giving various service providers like suppliers and hotel and tourism business. ENDs