04 Jun 2023

Community trusts need the support of corporate entities and individuals to harness and benefit from natural resources found in their localities, says First Lady Neo Masisi.

Speaking after a ‘Walk on sand dunes for camels’ in Tsabong on Friday, Ms Masisi urged corporations to adopt community trusts in order to empower locals to benefit from resources found in their areas.

The walk was held at the Ecotourism Camel Park and was organised by the TSAMAMA Trust.  

Ms Masisi, who adopted the TSAMAMA Trust, urged private companies and individuals to assist government with capacity building. She said trusts had the potential to uplift communities. “Please incorporate them in your corporate social initiatives,” pleaded Ms Masisi, adding that individuals should also consider adopting trusts because that  would improve the lives of the communities.

For trusts to thrive, she said, it was crucial for them to establish long-term relationships with corporate companies and individuals. She said she agreed to be the chief walker because of the positive impact that the walk would bring both in the long and short-term.

She said the ‘walk on sand dunes for camels’ was historic as it aimed to depopulate the camel park and expand their value chains. She also encouraged all to protect Botswana’s cultural heritage and to take pride in nurturing it. “Let us not only focus on tourists, let us develop our cultural tourism to create employment opportunities as we are a richly talented nation,” she said.

Ms Masisi also called for the event to be replicated in other parts of the country. She commended the TSAMAMA board of trustees for the spirit of volunteerism.

Narrating how camels were used during the pre-colonial era, Kgosi Gabriel Ntau of Maleshe said they were an important resource and were used by government during the pre-independence era.

He said in 1965 when the use of vehicles was becoming common they were relegated to tourism purposes after communities received them from the police. He said they formed the TSAMAMA Trust and worked in conjunction with Botswana Tourism Organisation to run the camel park.

TSAMAMA Trust chairperson, Mr Charles Proctor said the trust was a partnership between communities and Botswana Tourism Organisation who have a 51 per cent share.

Mr Proctor said the walk was intended to raise funds to de-populate the camel park and establish a camel farm. He said a report had revealed the part was  overpopulated with over 500 camels in a 4km by 4km area capable of holding only 50 camels.

Acting Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Mabuse Pule said the walk showed collaboration between government, trusts and other stakeholders.

He said government encouraged communities to develop their own trusts and to have strategies to run them independent of government. He urged the TSAMAMA Trust to work hard to create employment opportunities as well as to diversify investment portfolios. He urged them to develop more accommodation facilities with conference facilities. ENDS