Centre of the blind fundraising gets financial boost
Lerato Maleke | Monday November 3, 2014 19:16
Masebola made the pledge during a fundraising lunch held at the centre over the weekend.
The fundraising was held to resource the construction of accommodation, music and administration blocks at the center’s new plot in the village.
As a non-profit organisation, the centre depends on donations from government, corporates and individuals to survive.
Masebola noted that the centre’s appeal to the Diamond Trading Company (DTC) Botswana bore fruit when the company donated over one million Pula. DTC Botswana sponsored the centre to the tune of P 1, 897, 590.15 and P245, 420. 15. The money will go towards buying specialised education equipment. Masebola said in the coming financial year, approximately P800, 000 will be used to purchase Braille computers and musical equipment, while the remaining amount will be used to construct the music block.
He further explained that the Ministry of Education and Skills Development will continue to sponsor MRCB, so they continue modernising the learning environment, while also delivering quality education.
He said the sponsorship is in line with one of the National Vision 2016 pillars that encourage Batswana to be a compassionate, just and caring nation.
Masebola appealed to the privileged to assist the needy, the physically challenged and the visually impaired students. He said that it is important that Batswana should practice the spirit of giving.
The regional director explained that when he arrived on transfer from Francistown to Kgatleng, he challenged the Ministry to assist the visually impaired children and threatened to resign if his demands were not met. He pledged to continue to support MRCB.
Giving her remarks the director of the Centre, Sophie Moalosi, said that MRCB is one of the few non-profit organisations that is established to help the physically challenged individuals.
Since its inception 45 years ago, it has operated as a non-government and non-profitable organisation that has dedicated itself to serving the nation in a form of providing its assistant to children who are visually impaired. Although government assist NGOs, she said it does not provide funding for construction, hence the need for the Saturday fundraising lunch. Among the dignitaries at the even twas the Bakgatla senior chiefs representative , among them Kgosi Kgafela’s uncle Segale Linchwe.
Situated in Mochudi near the Deborah Retief Hospital, the centre uses the very old buildings that were built around the 1800s.
There is a pre-school situated at Pudulogong in Phaphane next to the Council Chamber. Most view this as a guardian angel on earth as it has made lives easier for parents who are unable to care for their visually challenged children.
The centre has been contributing significantly in promoting the education of the children who are visually impaired in Botswana through its esteemed services.
According to Moalosi, MRCB currently has an enrolment of 80 children with visual challenges who come from different parts of the country; 62 are primary school learners who attend school at Matsieng Primary School. The children are offered services such as therapy, rehabilitation and resettlement programmes at the centre after school hours.
Eighteen children under the age of six are rehabilitated under early stimulation programme in the centre where they receive therapy, mobility and orientation programmes.