14 Jun 2020

Good Samaritans who continue to dip into their pockets to assist fellow citizens affected by the COVID-19 pandemic have been commended. 

Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Dr Edwin Dikoloti made the commendation during a donation of special diet food hampers to 10 residents of Maokane by IRIO Solutions, a company that deals with purification and the sale of potable water in Jwaneng and Orapa. 

Dr Dikoloti said the gesture was welcome considering the fact that it was initiated by a youth from the village. 

“This indicates that you are raising your children well, and this also means that the future of this village is in good hands,” he said. 

Dr Dikoloti also noted that it was logistically tough for government to include provisions for people on special diet during disbursement of COVID-19 food relief packages. He added that for IRIO Solutions to note and help close the gap was commendable. 

He urged the villagers and their leadership to nurture relations with IRIO Solutions. 

For her part, IRIO Solutions director, Ms Itumeleng Kanotunga said they were alive to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on ordinary citizens. She said they decided to assist after noting that the package did not include special diet items. 

“The food package includes food in general, so people on special diet like diabetics are not provided for. We decided to help close that loophole,” she said.

She noted that it was not the first time for the company to assist in Maokane as they once assisted with the construction of a house for a needy person.

The matron of Jwaneng District Health Management Team, Ms Goitsemang Mothibi also hailed the initiative to assist people on special diet, saying it was important that such people ate properly due to their health or advanced age. 

“Special diet is essential for diabetics as well as the elderly, and it is important that even when buying grocery for our households, we include foods with a lot of bran as well as fruits. They are not necessarily for the ill, but also for the elderly,” she said. 

Dr Dikoloti also donated 12 infra-red thermometres to churches in Maokane, 50 blankets to boarding pupils at Mogale junior school, and has committed to donate an equal number to all the other three junior schools in his constituency. Ends