09 Oct 2013

Residents of Molepolole have been urged to meet government halfway by taking advantage of the poverty eradication projects that have been rolled out.

This was recently emphasised by Mrs Uyapo Mosarwa from the Office of the President, poverty eradication unit, during a kgotla meeting at Borakalalo ward. Mrs Mosarwa told residents that there were many programmes aimed at helping them better their lives. She further told them that although popular, backyard gardening was not the only programme.

There were other alternative packages, she said, such as bakery, leather processing, small stock, fashion design and many others that people can undertake.

Updating the residents on the status and progress of poverty eradication programmes in Molepolole, Mrs Mosarwa stated that 42 backyard gardening projects have been completed, 22 in Molepolole North and 20 in Molepolole South. Out of that number, 26 were operational, 15 in Molepolole North and 11 in Molepolole South, while five projects were excelling in terms of production.

She further revealed that under alternative packages projects, there are currently 312 beneficiaries who have been mobilized for enrolment in the poverty eradication program.

She said 56 beneficiaries had so far received their packages and training of beneficiaries and procurement of equipment for projects was on-going in all the districts.

She noted that out of all the projects that had been sensitised, a good number of people had been mobilised for enrolment in small stock as compared to other projects, with 114 beneficiaries in Molepolole North and 68 in Molepolole South. Home-based laundry projects had by far received the lowest number of enrolments, with two beneficiaries’ in Molepolole North and one in Molepolole South.

Mrs Mosarwa indicated that the current statistics were a step in the right direction and it would make an even greater difference if more people got involved in these projects. She challenged the people of Molepolole to take part and contribute to their personal development and that of the country.

“Our government has introduced these projects to help us all, let us exercise our responsibility and make use of them as it is not only morally right but also pivotal for growing the economy and ensuring that the future of Botswana is viable and sustainable.”

She also emphasized that government’s objective is to assist the less privileged to graduate to sustainable livelihoods within the shortest time frame and this can only be achieved through true partnership with the government. “We can only achieve the goal of poverty eradication and diversification of the economy if we meet our government halfway and we can do this by starting to contribute to the growth by our active involvement in the growth process itself.”

Mrs Mosarwa also encouraged all the people whose projects were already operational not to lose focus and to continue growing their projects immeasurably. She added that they are the guiding mirror for people who wish to get involved in similar projects. Ends