12 Mar 2020

Otse-based Camphill Community Trust has been awarded the 2019 UNESCO-Japan prize with an approximately P560 000 cash component.

 The award,  on education for sustainable development, was handed over to the trust in Otse on Wednesday by Japan ambassador to Botswana, Mr Takeda Kozo. 

He said the trust had for many years been a shining example of an institution engaged in education for sustainable development therefore it was fitting for them to have won the award. 

Mr Kozo said Japan was committed to supporting Botswana’s efforts for socio-economic development through various forms of assistance and cooperation particularly in the area of education. 

He therefore encouraged the trust to take advantage of other Japan initiated programmes such as Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which helps in dispatching volunteers. 

“These volunteers work tirelessly with Batswana, contributing to the improvement of the livelihood of the community, assisting in improving efficiency and effectiveness of skills through training and many more,” he said. 

Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research Science and Technology, deputy permanent secretary  Mr Oupa Masesane said the trust’s winning of the award was not  sheer luck. 

He said Camphill’s learning for living and work programme, which won the award, provided a broad framework for developing the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes for sustainable and just society. 

The trust, he said,  beat 115 other nominees from 63 UNESCO member states and  10 non-governmental organizations accredited to UNESCO to win the award. 

He explained that each of the 115 nominees, two from Botswana, had competed first in their individual countries before being submitted  for the final stage. 

Camphill representative, Mr Richard Blake said the community’s learning for living and work programme trained beneficiaries to overcome challenges and better their lives. 

He said through the programme, learners were trained to be resilient  and to grow and improve their  lives. 

The P557 837 (US$50 000) prize money will be used for a recycling project at Camphill Community Trust. Ends