27 Oct 2025

 The Acting President, Ndaba Gaolathe says the story of Camphill Community Trust is that of resilience.

Speaking at the 51^st fundraising gala dinner in Gaborone, Mr Gaolathe said Camphill Community Trust’ story was similar to that of Botswana, as the organisation was also built and rebuilt quietly by voices that were once unheard, in the process shaping the national conscience.

Mr Gaolathe said Camphill Community Trust’s integrated model of combining education, organic farming, social enterprise, and residential care offered a glimpse into the kind of economy envisioned under the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP).

He said it mirrored the enduring spirit of the brigades’ practical learning that dignifies labour and turns skill into freedom.

Institutions like Camphill Community Trust Mr Gaolathe said, brought the True North vision to life; a vision to build a Botswana that was digitally-enabled, export-driven, people-centric, and economically-diversified as well as a Botswana in which every citizen enjoyed equal opportunity, employed, empowered and fulfilled.

He said Camphill Community Trust transformed abstract goals into lived realities, with its restoring dignity and purpose.

“They show that transformation is not measured by GDP, but by dignity, by how many hands are working, how many hearts are hopeful, and how many lives are made whole,” he said.

“Through Motse wa Badiri Training, Camphill has equipped young men and women with vocational skills, confidence and belonging. Since 2013, the institution’s transition programme has assisted over 210 learners to find their path into the world, two now self-employed, 55 absorbed into Tirelo Sechaba, and others working with hope and determination toward their own ventures,” Mr Gaolathe stated, in reference to how Motse Wa Badiri, a vocational arm of the trust is continuing to impact lives.

The fundraising dinner was aimed at supporting the construction and furnishing of four classrooms. And the Acting President Mr Gaolathe encouraged stakeholder partnerships to provide opportunities of purpose and a Botswana where inclusion is not an afterthought but a way of life.

Located in the village of Otse in Ga-Malete Constituency, Camphill Community Trust is a school that enrols individuals with disabilities and learning difficulties and operates two schools; Rankoromane School, a primary school and Motse Wa Badiri, which offers post-primary education and training. ENDS