04 Nov 2020

Khwai Development Trust has been hailed for making a positive move to convert one of their campsites to a clinic in an effort to bring health services closer to the people.

Maun East area MP, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile appreciated the trust’s efforts during a consultative meeting with the trust board members. The trust, he said, had demonstrated a visionary leadership, zealous to improve the livelihoods of the community and develop the village.

He encouraged the trust to engage the District Health Management Team (DHMT) to see how best they could assist them to ensure the facility was operational for the benefit of the community.

The trust chairperson, Mr Jonah Amos explained that they took the bold decision to convert the campsite into a health facility because villagers were suffering lack of health services.

He acknowledged that the DHMT had inspected the facility and approved it, hoping that it would reduce the distance travelled by members of the community to access services.

It was reported that villagers were served through a mobile clinic on monthly basis, which  disadvantaged those who needed specialised healthcare services.

Mr Amos said the trust was overwhelmed as a lot of money was spent on fuel to transport villagers to Mababe, Sankoyo, Shorobe and Maun to seek health services.

He also noted that they were spending more money on maintenance of vehicles and believed that the health facility would help reduce costs.

Mr Amos also informed the MP that the trust had managed to acquire mobile safari license and purchased a safari vehicle in order to boost their revenue.

The trust, he said, had been struggling since COVID-19 pandemic advent, noting that they were forced to suspend some of their programmes such as building houses for destitute persons in the village, monthly stipend to the elderly as well as paying allowances to board members.

Mr Amos said since then, they managed to receive clients last month and managed to pay their workers.

The trust chairperson also pointed out that they had to revisit their accommodation packages in order to promote domestic tourism, noting that currently they were charging P250 per night in the campsites.

He complained about the delay in  finalising the pending issue of Tsaro Lodge, stating that they had long requested that the facility be given back to the community once the investor’s contract ends.

Recently, he said they received agreement draft from the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism and hoped the issue would be finalised.

With regard to the Management Plan of NG19, Mr Amos said the land board engaged the board, but they were not happy with the plan because it was complicated and open to all.

He said the trust wanted to operate the concession so that they could take the responsibility of cleanliness of the environment and promote conservation by reducing the number of roads.

He said they wanted to have one road just like in Chobe National Park.

The trust manager, Mr Neelo Bahenyi concurred that the issue of Tsaro Lodge had dragged for years because of changing of officials handling it in the ministry.

He said they had hoped that the issue would be finalised by March this year, but that did not happen.

He also stated this year; they focused on construction of the trust office and improving staff accommodation at some of their campsites. Mr Bahenyi also revealed that they had a dream to utilise NG18, as only 75 per cent of the concession was utilised.

He pleaded with the area MP to assist them to achieve their goal. ENDS