28 May 2024

Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) has through their cooperate social responsibility (CSR) initiative dubbed ‘society is the priority’ donated dining tables and chairs to children residing at Kareng hostels worth P50 000. 

Speaking during handing over of the donation on May 27, BITC director corporate affairs, Ms Kutlo Moagi said the donation marked the beginning of their partnership with Kareng Primary School citing that as an organization, they were committed to work relentlessly in collaboration with North West District Council to meet the school’s needs.

She said they had learnt that children at the hostels were faced with a number of challenges in terms of shortage of resources such as mattress and promised that they would mobilize funding to assist. 

The donation, Ms Moagi said would make a difference and improve welfare and wellbeing of children.

 “We pledge our commitment to support the school in a bid to improve lives of the children. We are currently in partnership with ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to help identify projects across the country that will make a meaningful impact on the societies,” she added.

Ms Moagi further revealed that through their CSR initiative, they had identified several settlements to assist with community projects every year.

 BITC, she said was mandated for investment promotion and attraction, export promotion and development as well as the custodianship and management of nation Brand (Brand Botswana), but they saw it fit to go beyond their call of duty to plant back to the society.

The money injected on such projects, Ms Moagi said was raised by employees through contributions from their pockets and support from some investors.

Accepting the donation, acting deputy council secretary, Ms Febby Budingwa appreciated the gesture saying it was testament that BITC shared a common commitment with the council to improve welfare of children.

She said the council was committed to improve Kareng hostels and make it to serve as a second home for students who came from distant places to pursue their education and they could not achieve that alone hence partnership was crucial to achieve the goal.

Children, she said spent most of their time at the hostels and they were striving to provide an ideal atmosphere for holistic personality development.

“We really appreciate the donation and promise to take care of them so that they benefit other children that will be admitted in the hostels. 

We wish you to be blessed beyond measure so that you continue assisting where there is need,” she added.

Area councilor, Mr Petrus Tjetjoo also thanked BITC for their noble gesture saying they had proved that indeed society is priority.

The organisation, he said had demonstrated love and care to pupils citing that dining tables and chairs would help restore dignity among beneficiaries and ensure they learn to embrace proper dining etiquette.

The school head, Mr Mosobetwane Sephatonyane appreciated the partnership and pleaded with BITC and other stakeholders to consider assisting children at the hostels with technology equipment such as lap tops and computers to facilitate educational enrichment through digital technology and bridge the digital divide.

Some of the hotels rooms, he said were unoccupied and idling and believed they could be turned into ICT laboratory to benefit both children and care givers.

The hostel used to accommodate over 400 pupils of which majority were from Khwai and Nxaraga villages but the numbers were reduced due to the opening of new schools in those areas. Ends