12 Oct 2020

Tutume Sub-district wellness committee has donated a hydroponics unit to backyard garden beneficiary, Mr Onkabetse Majo of Matobo.

Speaking at the handing over of the equipment on Thursday, Nkange MP, Dr Never Tshabang, commended public officers for not only serving the public, but extending a helping hand in uplifting lives through social responsibility initiatives.

Dr Tshabang noted that there were few success stories in the backyard gardening initiative mainly because of water challenges. He thus applauded Mr Majo, who is living with disability, for having persevered despite water problems.

He said his efforts had paid off since it caught eyes of the wellness committee that decided to help him with the latest technology of preserving water.

Dr Tshabang explained that the unit reticulated water and nutrients on the plants and then re-cycled the water back to the main source. He therefore implored Batswana to consider using the new technology saying it would help them produce food in their own backyards, with every little drop they had more so that Botswana was a dry country.

For his part, poverty eradication programme national coordinator, Mr Montshiwa Montshiwa, said the programme had been successful in most areas, revealing that 39 000 beneficiaries had been assisted nationally with over 31 000 projects still operational and doing well.

He said they had realised there was unity between the implementers and the beneficiaries for many of the successful projects, adding that such partnerships had led to over 3000 people graduating from the programme and becoming well established.

Appreciating the gesture, Mr Mojo said he had managed to open a savings account and he was able to sustain himself from the proceeds of the project. This, he said was a great achievement, which he will forever cherish. ENDS