15 Nov 2020

Botswana Ash employees recently donated 16 geysers to Nxakato Junior Secondary School in Sowa Town. 

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Botash acting general manager, Mr Othusitse Seokamo said the money to purchase the geyseres was raised by the employees as part of their social responsibility initiative. 

Mr Seokamo said from the P181 000, they spent P86 000 on the water geysers, P84 500 was used for procurement of tissue rolls for Nata Senior Secondary School and about P8 700 to purchase 155 face masks for lower grades pupils at Flamingo International School in the town. 

He said the money was raised through personal contributions, as the staff felt driven to heed President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s call for assistance in the fight against COVID-19.

He asserted that this was a time that people should be united to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as economies had been dealt a blow.  Mr Seokamo said  all stakeholders should come on board to help their governments to remain afloat and to revive economies.

He said called on Batswana to comply with all the health protocols in order to protect one another from the disease.

He said through their donation of geysers they wanted to encourage pupils not to compromise on hygiene at any given time.

Appreciating the donation, school head, Ms Ruth Higgins said the geysers were a befitting gift for the boarding facility, which had been operating with eight geysers for the 328 pupils, comprising 209 girls and 119 boys.

Ms Higgins said the shortage of geysers and thus hot water, had some pupils compromising on their wellbeing by dodging the shower hour. She said with the donation, hot water would be continuously running and no one would make an excuse of not washing their hands or body.

Meanwhile, the school head explained that theirs was an average performing school, having scored a 34.1 per cent pass rate in last year’s junior secondary school certificates results. 

She said Botash’s donation, which was not the first, having built them a guidance and counselling classroom in 2015, was going to motivate the learners to do better in their academics. Ends