26 Mar 2024

The Turkish embassy has donated food hampers worth P193, 000 to the Gaborone City Council on Tuesday.
The embassy officials expressed delight in giving back to the less fortunate communities as they believed in improving livelihoods in Botswana.
The Turkish Ambassador to Botswana Ahmef Aky noted during the donation handing over ceremony held at the City Council, on Tuesday.
The 500 food hampers worth P193 000 will be distributed among the needy in Gaborone, Lobatse and Rasesa village.
He said the fooeach food package comprised 2-litre cooking oil, 102-pack tea bags, 5 kg white flour, 5 kg maize meal, 500 ml milk, 2.5 kg sugar, 5 kg rice, 600 g canned beef, and 200 g canned fish.
He also added that as Muslims, they were currently observing the holy month of Ramadan.
“It is not only a time of fasting, but also a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement,
devotion and worship.”
During Ramadan, he noted that Muslims were encouraged to do charity work, such as providing food to the poor and offering financial assistance to those in need.
“Within this framework, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency
(TÄ°KA) is organising Ramadan Month Food Aid Project in many countries, including Botswana,” he said
Giving a brief history of the past donations made he said during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the embassy donated 2000 food hampers to GCC at the Old Naledi distribution Centre.
“Actually this is the third time in Botswana that the Turkish Embassy in cooperation with TÄ°KA is carrying out such a food aid project, in 2020 and 2021 a total of 2000 families in need were provided similar food packages,” he said.
He also said TÄ°KA and the Turkish Embassy was also planning further projects in Botswana in the near future.
This he said included donating equipment, with a total value of P285 000 to a school in need.
For her part, the Acting Deputy Director at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Gomolemo Tselakgopo thanked the Turkish embassy for the noble gesture.
She assured the Turkish embassy that the donations would benefit families in need.
On another point she said food hampers will be distributed according to household needs.
During the COVID-19 era she said the Turkish embassy also outdid themselves by giving to communities that were affected by the lockdown.
She said most of the beneficiaries who will benefit were orphaned children as well as destitute persons. ENDS
BOPA LC 20/3/24