08 May 2022

Cleanliness has earned Mookane a library and cultural centre, courtesy of the Rothschild family, in partnership with government and the community.

Speaking at the library official opening Friday, Kgosi Isabella Tshipana of Mookane encouraged residents to always ensure a clean environment, in order to attract more developments to the village.

She said with the library, learners’ performance would improve.

Mookane Library Committee chairperson, Mr Basimane Mmanaesi said the conference room component, that was the responsibility of the community, cost P1.1m while the entire project an effort by the community, Robert and Sara Rothschild Family Foundation and the government, was almost P7.6m.

Mr Mmanaesi appreciated the company that was engaged to build the facility, for doing a good job and delivering the project on time as well as engaging residents.

Deputy US ambassador, Ms Amanda Jacobson said the resource was not a luxury but a necessity that would benefit future generations.

She said the library was an upgrade from the village reading room that started in 1972, and would benefit children and parents whom she encouraged to use.

Ms Jacobson expressed her gratitude to the foundation for bringing such developments to Mookane community, stating  that the conference room would allow the community to hold discussions on issues pertinent to them.

Mr Robert Rothschild of Robert and Sara Rothschild Family Foundation thanked the library committee and community for the partnership and making the project a success.

Mr Rothschild encouraged residents to make use of the library, saying a library was not a place to keep quiet and read books only but was also a place to meet and discuss.

Ministry of Youth Gender Sports and Culture permanent secretary, Mr Kagiso Kemoeng thanked the Rothschild Family Foundation for contributing towards developing Botswana through the many libraries they built and equipped as well as their maintenance.

He said the monumental Mookane Community Library and Cultural Centre was the 19th and most recent.

He advised Mookane community to optimally utilise the facility and jealously guard against its abuse in any form.

“This is a development that Batswana in other parts of the country do not have and can only be envious of.

Let me also appreciate Kgosi Isabella Tshipana and Mookane village leadership, who have successfully advocated for the transformation of their village reading room of thirty years ago into this beautiful facility,” stated Mr Kemoeng. ENDS