Poverty eradication workshop rolls into Qabo

Leinanyana Tsiane | Thursday April 17, 2014 13:15

Since their introduction three years ago under government’s Poverty Eradication Flagship Programme, the workshops have provided their rural beneficiaries with project funding and training. 

The workshops have come to be seen as a Godsend to impoverished villages, bringing revenue spin-offs in sectors such as informal trade and accommodation from the scores of central government officials who descend on the villages.

However, some intended beneficiaries contend that the workshops are all hype as the promised project funding is slow to arrive, while opposition parties have dismissed the events as political pandering by the ruling party.

Gantsi acting senior council secretary, Gregar Lepang, told Mmegi that the event will be held in Qabo next month and will run for two days.

The poverty eradication exercise is for Gantsi North and South as well as the Ngami constituencies.

He said the council had decided to widen the Gantsi-Qabo road to accommodate the expected influx of traffic and thus far, grading is in progress.

The road has generally been in bad shape in the past.

Lepang also revealed that the council, in collaboration with the Social and Community Development department, has identified 1,100 beneficiaries who will be trained on potential projects they can embark on.

According to Lepang the intended beneficiaries include people with disabilities and the under-privileged.

“We are going to train them on jam-making, catering services, small livestock rearing and Setswana chickens,” he said, adding that, “We have identified 1,000 beneficiaries for Gantsi North and South constituencies, while 100 will come from Ngami Constituency”.

The acting senior council secretary said consultative meetings have been held with Qabo residents, whom he said are looking forward to the workshop.