14 Mar 2022

Stakeholders involved in the Komatsu-AM600 Cycling Challenge have been hailed for the spirit of giving back and impacting positively in the lives of the less privileged members of the community. 

The words said the Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe during the stakeholder engagement workshop in Letlhakane on Thursday come at a time when those who are part of the three-day cycling challenge are preparing for the event slated for May 19 to 21. 

Proceeds from the corporate cycling challenge, will among others go towards building a maternity wing for Khwee health post and a modern technology hub at Tawana kgotla in Letlhakane. Cyclists, led by Ms Albertinah Milton, widow of Debswana former managing director Mr Milton and Komatsu Botswana managing director Mr Martin Cowley who will be represented by Michael Botes will cover 600 kilometres. 

Mr Lelatisitswe said the proposed maternity wing for Khwee health post would give expectant mothers and newborn babies the much needed and necessary health care as government recognised the importance of primary health care. 

“The maternity ward could have not come at a better time when the country was grappling with high maternal and infant mortality rate due to lack of maternity services in some parts of the country,” he said. 

Mr Lelatisitswe indicated that long distances that mothers used to travel to access the services would be a thing of the past. 

Regarding the technology hub, he said its importance could not be emphasised as it fed into the President’s Reset Agenda. 

He stated that the education sector continued to be a challenge as resource mobilisation was thin on the ground. 

For her part, Komatsu Human Resource Manager, Ms Basadi Pheto said Komatsu believed in leaving a legacy of self-sustained communities and that it could only be achieved through collaborations. 

Ms Pheto said that their wish was to upgrade Khwee Clinic by adding a maternity ward and electricity connection.

She said they also intended to upgrade Mokobaxane Primary School classroom furniture by equipping the school with age-appropriate tables, chairs and a heavy photocopier. 

Ms Pheto indicated that with Komatsu-AM600, organizers wished to commemorate what would be Mr Milton’s 60th birthday. 

“The objective of the challenge is to raise funds to empower and develop less privileged members of society as Komatsu has various operations across the country. 

The funds generated will determine the extent to which we can help the beneficiaries,” she said. Ends