15 Jul 2021

Mabeleapodi Development Trust has pleaded with companies to offer it some financial assistance so as to enable it to undertake some community projects that it has planned for.

The trust, a community-based organisation, was established to help create jobs for the community of Mabeleapodi and also help develop the village. The development trust was expected to realise its mandate by engaging in agricultural projects, tourism and sports as well as in recreational activities.

Since its inception in 2014, the Mabeleapodi community was yet to benefit from the trust because due to lack of funds, it has not started any projects that it had intended to do.

In an interview on Tuesday, the chairperson of the trust, Mr Taelo Balepile said the trust had been requesting for funding from both individuals and companies, but to date their efforts have failed to bear fruit.

He thus called on companies to reach out to the trust in order to understand its vision and mission and thereafter find ways of helping the trust to finally get on its feet and begin work.

Mr Balepile further said that the community trust had 998 hectares of land, which lay idle for lack of funds.

He said in forming the trust they were driven by the desire to develop their village, to preserve their natural resources and also to encourage the youth to be independent.

Secretary of the trust, Mr Kganelo Keoagile said residents of Mabeleapodi had been consulted prior to the trust being set up and that they had fully backed the idea.

He expressed hope that once they start their projects, particularly those in the agriculture sector, they would produce enough food for consumption and for exportation.

Councillor for Paje/ Mabeleapodi, Mr Nametso Senku described the trust as a great initiative.

He said the trust’s envisaged projects had a huge potential, especially the one on agriculture because the trust could use water from the already existing  boreholes within the said piece of land.

Further, he said it would be easy for the trust to connect to the national electricity grid as there was a power line passing near the farm.

Mr Senku said they intended to engage the Serowe Administration Authority to identify and discuss ways through which the local authority could assist the trust financially to enable it to ultimately start delivering on its mandate. ENDS