Mochudi Resource Centre for the Blind to raise P17m
Correspondent | Wednesday April 9, 2014 14:23
I am pleased to join everyone in this 4th fundraising activity for Mochudi Resource Centre for the Blind.
Tonight’s Fundraising Dinner is one of the many efforts that the Centre continues to engage in to raise its target of more than P17 million for a more improved Resource Centre for children with visual challenges.
The fund raising is also for the procurement of a minibus and to meet other financial constraints the Centre faces. Tonight the target is to raise at least P3 million.
This is a tall order, taller than me but it is not insurmountable. Together we shall succeed. This is the contextual journey of Mao Tse-Tung.
“A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step”. You are certainly on the right humanitarian and humane cause.
No doubt all persons of goodwill shall endeavour to support your noble cause.
The theme of the Dinner, quote, “Break barriers, open doors for an inclusive Botswana for all” unquote, is appropriate as it calls for the integration of people with disabilities in all spheres of life. It further emphasizes the removal of barriers of participation against people with disabilities.
The journey has started to realise various initiatives such as modification of stairs into ramps and elevators in different organisations, providing information in Braille or other formats, valuing different learning styles and making individual donations towards improved service delivery to people with disabilities.
The theme captures the essence of Batswana’s willingness to integrate people with disabilities in their development and in ensuring that the aspirations of the Vision 2016 pillar of “A Compassionate, Just and Caring Nation” are achieved.
A person with disability is simply differently abled, and has to be given the platform, like any other person, to enjoy the benefits of the economy.
I wish to indicate some challenges facing Mochudi Resource Centre. If these are not addressed will derail the efforts of achieving its goal.
The major challenges include:
l Limited accommodation facilities for visually challenged children who need access to education;
l Shortage of qualified staff and transport;
l Limited funding to address the specialised needs for the blind;
It is pleasing that inspite of the challenges I have alluded to, the Institution is using its best endeavours to raise funds for construction of a new fully-fledged Resource Centre to assist a total of 75 children with visual challenges. This is a visionary and commendable feat with altruistic touch of human kindness. I gather a seminal approach is in place for children to attend their primary school at Matsieng School whilst receiving Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Residential services at Mochudi Resource Centre.
I am further informed that more than 60 children with visual challenges in various parts of the country are currently at home, struggling with learning in schools that do not have appropriate facilities. These children are desperately waiting for the establishment of the new building structure to enable them to access appropriate facilities to meet their specific learning needs.
I wish to assure everyone that government is alive to this disturbing trend and is committed to ensure that children with disabilities have the right to develop to their full extent possible. They must be enabled to flower and mellow so that, in the words of William Wordsworth, they are not born to blush unseen, metaphorically that is, and waste their fragrance over the desert air of neglect. The Government is concerned by the level of disability as it affects everyone in different ways. In various communities, children with disabilities are marginalised, abused and unfairly excluded by some. These negatively affect and diminish any source of hope and courage, the concerned children might have.
To this end, I wish to note three of the six goals of Special Education in the 1992/93 Revised National Policy on Education whose Commission I had the effusive pleasure to chair. A 15 member international team. The goals:
l to ensure that all citizens of Botswana, including those with special needs have equality of educational opportunities.
l to ensure a comprehensive assessment that is based on the child’s learning needs, and not group norms, - for individualised instruction
l to enable all children with special educational needs to become productive members of the community by equipping them with survival skills and relevant pre-vocational skills, to promote self-reliance.
I have it on good authority that Mochudi Resource Centre for the Blind (MRCB) was established in 1969 under the auspices of the Dutch Reformed Church in Botswana (DRCB). The Centre has now reached 45 years of continuous special education service provision to children with visual challenges from all parts of Botswana. This makes the Centre a national Resource Centre complementing the Lephoi Centre in Francistown.
The government through the Ministry of Education and Skills Development currently provides partial funding to the Mochudi Resource Centre, on an annual basis so as to sustain the programmes provided at the institution. During the 2013/2014 financial year, Mochudi Resource Centre received a subsidy amounting to P2 127,695. This is an annual subvention that is intended to assist the Centre with part of its recurrent budget. It excludes development budget.
In this regard, the government is resolute in supporting the efforts of the Non-Governmental Organisations, Community Based Organisations and Faith Based Organisation like Mochudi Resource Centre which complement government’s efforts in providing specialised services to Batswana. We appreciate the contributions being made to the education, and by extension to the socio - economic development of this country.
Government has decided to introduce a social safety net in the financial year 2014/2015 which will target People Living with Disabilities. The safety net will be means-tested so that it benefits only People Living with Disabilities who do not have any means of survival. Furthermore, affirmative action has been adopted to employ graduates with disabilities. To date, 38 of the 63 who have applied to the DPSM have secured permanent employment. The Revised National Policy on People Living with Disabilities should also streamline provision of services to People Living with Disabilities such as access to information, education and land.
I wish to share with you that three weeks back, government sponsored a bench marking trip to Cape Town, South Africa, in which some Botswana disability organizations, Mochudi Resource Centre included, undertook to adopt and adapt best practices towards organisational development and growth of the disability centres. I do hope you will apply the best practices to improve the quality of life of fellow Batswana with disability.
Once again I wish to assure you of the Botswana Government’s support in order to supplement quality service provided to children accommodated in your institution. In conclusion, I wish to implore fellow country men and women, Batswana, to enliven the spirit of sharing that we are known for, and share handsomely towards this good cause.
Morena a nne le lona. Dominos vobiscum.
Thank you for your wholesome indulgence!