08 Oct 2023

Government is committed to supporting any initiative aimed at empowering Batswana, says the Minister of Minerals and Energy Mr Lefoko Moagi.

The minister was speaking during a hand over ceremony of a donation by First National Bank of Botswana Foundation in Ramotswa on Saturday. The foundation handed over a project worth over P480 000 to the Thuto Boswa Rehabilitation Centre.

The centre creates an enabling and empowering environment for people with disabilities (PWD) and also equips them with life skills in a creative, stimulating and developmental environment.

Mr Moagi appreciated the foundation for its gesture and appealed to the community to bring people with disabilities to benefit from such efforts.

He thanked Thuto Boswa centre for its tireless efforts in securing funding to make education accessible to all Batswana.

Mr Moagi appealed to those developing the school curriculum to consider establishing a syllabus that catered for PWDs.

FNBB Foundation chairperson, Ms Myra Sekgororwane said FNBB registered the foundation to carry out its corporate social investments.

“This was to fine-tune the bank’s acceptance of its responsibility towards the environment and the communities it does business in. The bank annually extends up to one per cent of its profits for the foundation to identify needy and sustainable causes in Botswana, assess, evaluate for approval and fund them,” she added.

Ms Sekgororwane said the foundation found it fit to invest in the initiative to make a difference in the lives of Batswana.

She said the centre was keen in playing it’s part in the rehabilitation of young people by contributing towards nurturing their mental and academic capacities.

She said the foundation had invested a total of over P74 million since it’s inception in Botswana.

FNBB Director of Commercial Ms Jennifer Makgabenyane said the bank’s current focus areas were youth empowerment, education, sport development, arts and culture, environmental sustainability as well as social welfare.

She said FNBB wanted to support an impactful project in the community that would cover most of these hence the choice of the Thuto Boswa Centre.

“The bank believes that these initiatives will go a long way in enhancing the centre’s efforts of creating a better place for those with disabilities,” she added.

The centre’s executive director, Ms Gosego Mmeanyana applauded the good gesture by the bank.

She said they had received support which had been evidenced by various community service activities conducted at the centre by the bank’s corporate services segment. Ends