21 Apr 2020

About 5 294 households out of a total of 11 188 assessed in Francistown have been recommended for food baskets.

So far, 75 households in dire need of immediate assistance were given food ration that included starch, milk, toiletry and other agricultural produce. 

The city clerk, Mr Lopang Pule, said during a press briefiong that the exercise, which started on April 20, was still on going.

“The targeted group is those whose economic status has been adversely affected by COVID-19 in terms of income generation such as transporters, catering services, car wash, street vendors and many others,” he said.

To help speed up the exercise, FCC engaged 42 permanent and pensionable social and community development officers as well as 30 others on temporary basis.

Additionally, the city council identified numerous general dealers and fresh produced businesses to supply food relief packages to the beneficiaries.

The suppliers, according to Mr Pule, were located within the wards in the city in order to enhance local economic empowerment.

The city council also made sure that unemployed mini truck owners would be engaged to transport COVID-19 relief packages so as to enhance their livelihoods.

Also, 205 needy pupils would be supplied with the food ration while a total of six homeless people, five Batswana and one Zimbabwean national, would be assisted with accommodation and food during the extreme social distancing period. ENDS