07 Oct 2013

Botswana Defence Force (BDF) officer cadets intake 36 of 2012/13 have donated 253 mattresses to Sehunou Rural Areas Dwellers (RADS) hostel.

The intake 36 of 2012/13 that would graduate on  December 7 comprised 49 Batswana, four South Africans, three Namibians and four trainees from Lesotho, made contribution to buy mattress through the outreach programme.

Speaking during the handing over of the donation on Friday, the course director, Major Seeteletso Moffat said through consultations with Social and Community Development office, they took a decision to help the hostel as it had shortage of mattress.

The hostel, which has carrying capacity of 270 pupils and has currently admitted 265 pupils, had 17 mattresses prior to the donation. Major Moffat stated that the trainees raised P 30 000 through their contributions and then bought 253 mattresses at a 10 per cent discount from Trade World.

Major Moffat said they approached Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) to assist them to buy kitchen utensils for the hostel. The two stainless steel pots, 250 plates and 250 tea cups bought by BHC were also part of the donation. Major Moffat noted that the donation was in response to the government call to help the less privileged because government could not accomplish everything alone.

He added that the donation was appropriate because of rising statistics of unprivileged people in the community. Major Moffat urged the beneficiaries to take good care of the donations so that the next generation can also use it.

Central District Council (CDC) chairperson, Mr Lesego Raditanka said by donating to the less privileged they were donating to God and as such He (God) would reward them. Mr Raditanka applauded the officer cadets saying that 253 mattresses were great number that would be difficult to be attained by the council.

He also urged the beneficiaries to take good care of the donation because it would difficult to replace owing to insufficient of funds. For his part, CDC secretary, Mr Gaolatlhe Dipholo also hailed officer cadets for using the money that they could have spent on their families to assist the less privileged.

“At times you should ask yourself what have you done for your country not what has the country done for you” Mr Dipholo stated. ENDS