20 Nov 2022

Three victims of wild animal attacks have received washing machines worth over P17 000 from Kasane renowned businessman, Mr Luckson Lekokoto in collaboration with the Maun based Okavango Human Wildlife Conflict Foundation (OHWCF).

The beneficiaries Ms Nkoketsang Monnawatsheko, her daughter Cecilia Monnawatsheko and Ms Buchilani Masole  reside at Disaneng ward in Maun.

Ms Monnawatsheko and her daughter Cecilia were attacked by a crocodile at Thamalakane River in 2020 while harvesting water lily commonly known as Tswii and her left arm was severed from her body as she was rescuing her daughter whose arm was also cut off by the crocodile.

Ms Masole was attacked by elephant in 2016 while on duty at one of the safari companies in the Okavango Delta.

She sustained a dislocated collar bone of the right arm above the shoulder and it is currently not functional.

Speaking during the handing over ceremony of the donations in Maun recently, Okavango Research Institute (ORI) director, Professor Joseph Mbaiwa said it was disturbing as people continue to lose lives due to wildlife attacks such as elephants, crocodiles and hippos and thanked.

While he appreciated compensation offered by the government, he said life was important and priceless and implored other stakeholders to come up with interventions that could help stop casualties caused by wildlife. He also encouraged business community to implement corporate social responsibility initiatives and assist foundations such as OHWCF which aimed to impact positively on the lives of the community.

Prof Mbaiwa also called on government to consider creating mutual benefits of coexistence between people and wildlife. Government, he said should ensure that communities residing in wildlife management areas benefited from wildlife in order to promote peaceful coexistence and conservation.

Failure to do so, he said would result in increase of incidents of uncontrolled hunting as people would connive with poachers. Prof Mbaiwa said steps needed to be taken to help communities realise the benefits of living harmoniously with wildlife.

He noted that a lot of vultures had died this year due to poisoning as some members of the community often retaliate for the loss of their livestock or crops.

“Elephants damage crops, water tanks while lions and leopards often turn to community livestock and steps should be taken to enhance safety of people and wildlife. At the same time people should understand that wildlife species are not only important to protect but they are essential to the ecosystem and their welfare,” he added.

For his part, Mr Lekokoto said he partnered with OHWCF this year because he was interested on what the organisation was advocating for and that it was struggling to secure sponsors to assist victims. “I came on board and participated in their annual charity Golf Cup activity in Kasane which aimed to raise funds for supporting people injured by wildlife and I decided to assist with washing machines as I learnt that the victims had lost limbs. I believe the donation will make a huge difference in their lives,” he said.

Mr Lekokoto encouraged OHWCF to respect donations as they were given for a specific need adding that the organisation should ensure the machines were put in good use as that would motivate him and other business people to do more.

OHWCF founder, Mr Kenosi Kamina noted that local people were more affected economically due to problem wild animals and appealed to businesses and the community at large to support the foundation and victims as well. Ends