28 Jul 2020

South East District Council has placed 17 children at various places of safety for protection.

 The council chairperson, Mr Oshima Peloewetse said at the ongoing council meeting on July 27 when addressing issues of children’s welfare, that the children had been placed at the SOS children’s village in Tlokweng, Francistown and Serowe.

“The children unite with their families every year during the festive season,” he said.

 In addition, he said two more children had been placed under foster care by the district while nine others had been admitted at Kgomodiatshaba Primary School in the Kgatleng District.

 Still, on child welfare matters, Mr Peloewetse said the district had managed to form 12 district child protection committees as prescribed by the Children’s Act.

He said the committees were mandated to advocate for the needs and protection of children at the district level.

 The committees are also tasked with educating community leaders on issues pertaining to children and mobilise community leaders to enforce Children’s Act adherence.

 In addition, Mr Peloewetse, who is a specially elected councillor,  said the council, through the social and community development department, continued to provide support to the affected children and families.

“The need for psychosocial support cannot be overemphasised and cannot be left out as a intervention strategy,” he added. 

Mr Peloewetse said during the 2019/20 financial year, two retreat camps were held by Tlokweng Sub-district and one by the South East South Sub-district.

 Regarding the payment of social welfare programmes, he informed the meeting that the council had established a relationship with FNB Botswana to facilitate payments of Ipelegeng workers, Orphans allowances, food baskets for destitute persons and orphans, village development committee  members and brigade student allowances. ENDS