Jindal Energy donates textbooks to Dikgatlho CJSS
Laone Choeunyane | Wednesday February 18, 2026 06:00
Delivering the keynote address, the Assistant Minister of Child Welfare and Basic Education, Justin Hunyepa, applauded the donation and said the initiative reflects Botswana’s broader commitment to ensuring every child has access to meaningful learning opportunities.
“Education is not simply a service we provide, it is a rights-based foundation for dignity, equality of opportunity, and social justice.”
He emphasised that textbooks are essential tools in removing barriers to achievement.
“Learning materials such as textbooks become more than paper and print. They become access to curriculum, to participation, to achievement, and to future opportunity,” Hunyepa said.
The minister noted that partnerships of this nature complement government investment in infrastructure and teacher development, helping to close resource gaps and advance national goals.
Representing the company, Country Director and Project Head Neeraj Saxena described the handover as part of Jindal Energy’s sustained engagement with surrounding communities.
“Today marks another step in Jindal Power's partnership with communities around the Jindal Mmamabula Energy Project, as we hand over 400 textbooks to support learning at Dikgatlho Community Junior Secondary School,” he said.
“At Jindal Power, we believe energy projects must power more than industries; they must also power communities and futures,” he added, reiterating the company’s development philosophy.
Saxena stressed that investment in education is central to the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility efforts, particularly as the Mmamabula Energy Project progresses and continues to generate employment and business opportunities. Preparing young people with the skills and confidence to benefit from these opportunities, he said, is critical to long-term community empowerment.
“These books placed in your hands today are more than learning materials; they are access to knowledge, to opportunity, and to futures that may seem distant today but are entirely within your reach,” he said, addressing the learners directly. He further encouraged them to remain ambitious, “most importantly, dare to dream big, and dream beyond what you see around you today.”
Also present at the ceremony was the Acting Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and Member of Parliament for Mahalapye East, Augustine Nyatanga, in whose constituency the school falls.
Delivering a vote of thanks, he commended Jindal Energy for its growing impact in the region.
“As a government we also acknowledge that we are witnessing very high unemployment rates, but I will tell you that Jindal has done very well in terms of absorbing the youth of this region,” he said.
Nyatanga expressed confidence that the donation would positively influence academic performance. Dikgatlho recorded its first-ever merit in the Junior Certificate examinations this year since opening its doors in 1994, and Nyatanga said he expects that with improved access to learning materials, next year’s results will surpass this year’s achievements.
Beyond education support, Jindal Energy’s operations in the region include infrastructure development linked to the energy project, including the construction of an access road expected to improve connectivity for surrounding villages. The company has also implemented CSR initiatives such as donating school uniforms to more than 2,500 learners across five schools, upgrading electrical infrastructure at neighbouring schools, providing sanitary supplies to learners, and supporting environmental efforts like tree planting.