29 Dec 2013

Poverty Eradication Programme coordinator, Dr John Mothibi has described alternative packages as a ‘revolution’ in the upliftment of the lives of poverty stricken people.

Dr Mothibi said in an interview that after beneficiaries had been trained and given resources to pioneer projects through the programme, their mindset and lives dramatically changed for the better since they would have a source of income to sustain their lives.

He also noted that through the poverty eradication programme, government was working around the clock to reduce the number of people living in abject poverty. So far, he said more than 4 000 beneficiary projects were operational and the number was gradually increasing.

He said the programme had another initiative of responding the President’s roadmap to restoring dignity among poor Batswana by producing quality bricks used in providing quality housing for the poor. He noted that his team has joined forces with BOTEC to produce the Kgalagadi Sand Brick (KSB) used in the construction of structures.

He said that the reason behind the KSB project was that they realised that the cost of construction was high and they had to come up with alternative low cost technology, which will produce bricks for good quality housing.

He noted that BOTEC had already advanced the technology of the KSB building block.  “We also did the calculations as far as the cost of constructions is concerned and the conclusion is that we will be able to reduce the cost by about 30 per cent.

The reduction cost emanates from the fact that material used to make the KSB being Kalahari sandy soil is in abundance in Botswana and free fly-ash, which is a waste product from Soda Ash Mine in Sua Pan is readily available, which means that very little cost will be incurred in the production of the KSB,” he said.

Further, Dr Mothibi said the KSB was much stronger than the normal bricks. He also noted that costs for construction will henceforward be reduced further when KSB is made into interlocking bricks.

That, he said would result in government being able to construct more houses for the needy through the poverty eradication programme.

“One major challenge we have come across is that the quality of housing for the needy is not up to scratch and with the KSB in place we will be able to upgrade the quality of housing around the country, thereby improving the dignity of the people,’ he said, explaining that the issue of good quality housing for the poor and the rest of the population should be addressed.

He said in 2013 the Poverty Eradication Programme had a budget of P5million to construct 55 houses across the country using the KSB. He said the major focus was in Khawa, where there is a serious need for decent accommodation for the residents.

In the meantime, Dr Mothibi said that his organisation was preparing to start moulding the KSB bricks. He said they have already transported the fly ash from Soda Ash Mine to Khawa. “This is an exciting endeavour in that it will be one of the packages under the poverty eradication programme where beneficiaries will be able to produce KSB’s and handy men will use the bricks to construct houses.

It is going to create self-employment and also help to uplift the conditions of housing for the poor,” he said. 

An official in the poverty eradication unit, Mrs Kutlwano Sebolaaphuti said BOTEC has staff who have been trained on what it entailed to produce the KSB. “For instance, they know the measurement of compounds needed to be put together to produce the KSB which include sand, ash, and a little cement,” Mrs Sebolaaphuti said.

She also noted that there was equipment used to produce a large number of KSBs at a time.

Further, she said there was a manual mould that can be used by beneficiaries under the Poverty Eradication Programme to produce KSBs for sale to sustain their lives. “Ideally beneficiaries around the country where the Kalahari sand is abundant should be trained to use the moulds to produce the bricks because it does not need electricity to operate,” she said.

She said what would be taken to the beneficiaries was the already mixed fly ash and cement because the ratios for mixing the fly ash and cement should be precise in order to produce good quality bricks. ENDS