20 Dec 2020

Mascom has once again fulfilled its long standing commitment  to bring smiles to the faces of children from vulnerable backgrounds. 

Speaking at the annual event termed: The   Chief Executive Officer’s (CEO) Children’s Christmas Party,  Mascom chief executive officer, Ms Dzene Makhwade – Seboni  said  the event was part of the company’s Christmas festivities as corporate social investment initiative to bring joy and happiness to the children.

This year Mascom hosted  children at the Baylor Children’s Clinical Centre of Excellence.

Ms Makhwade – Seboni said the company had been doing this since 1999 and villages such as Morwa, Otse, Palapye, Molepolole, Ghanzi, Kasane, Mochudi, Mlanbakwena, Ramotswa, Letlhakane, D’Kar, Gamodubu, Thabala, Maunatlala and Lokgwabe had benefitted to date. 

This year, Mascom donated 10 computers, connected Wi-Fi, lab, toiletries, school shoes, Christmas clothes, toys and stationary for the children at Baylor, she noted.

Mascom will also provide outdoor benches for the young ones to be able to sit outside and enjoy access to Wi-Fi, an essential tool for their educational and entertainment needs, Ms Makhwade – Seboni stated.  

“Although we couldn’t gather and do a fun day like is the annual norm, I’m happy we are here today to handover these gifts which I hope will not only make the children smile but will make a difference to their lives, ” Ms Makhwade-Seboni said. 

She further mentioned that other activities included the Mascom Housing Project where the company built 43 houses since 2010 in Ramotlabaki, Molepolole, Gamodubu, Mogoditshane, Bobonong, Kuke, Malaka, Lecheng, Lerala, Tsabong and Otse, she explained.

Ms Makhwade-Seboni hoped Mascom’s contribution would make this year’s Christmas memorable for the Children at Baylor Clinical Centre of Excellence.

Botswana Baylor Children’s Clinical Centre of Excellence executive director, Dr Mogotsi Matshaba said the centre is a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), not for profit and had served the children in many facets. 

The NGO was registered in 2003 as a partnership between Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, and Botswana Government with the idea of correcting the disparities that health wise, children in Botswana suffer from, Dr Matshaba said. 

At the time the pandemic was HIV, so the focus of the NGO focus became HIV, he said noting that when they started, their average age was four and now the average age was 19. He noted as such, the reason for choosing the place to celebrate was that in almost 17 years they had seen young people grow into brilliant young people.

The services the NGO provides are mainly to do with infectious diseases; HIV and TB being one of them, Dr Matshaba mentioned, noting that of recent, they had paediatric/childhood cancer and blood disorders. 

“We are here because of a gift that started in 2003, the building you see across which is the clinic was actually a gift from another entity. Then another gift to build this one. So we have a long history of working with the business sector to deliver service for our clients. For me when I heard that Mascom has chosen us as the recipient for this year, it brought great joy because with partnership from the business sector and the community, we should be able to offer our children the best services, ” Dr Matshaba said. 

Dr Matshaba said connectivity was important for young people especially during the COVID-19 period.

He said it was important for them to be connected to their peers and service providers and also so that they were aware of what was happening around them. 

He said the support they received from Mascom would allow them to grow and reach out to many youth..

“The centre provides educational support to out of school youth. The idea is to build them to become productive adults.” ends