FNBB Foundation donates 3500 pairs of school shoes
Staff Writer | Wednesday June 17, 2015 15:46
The event saw invited guests, media and FNBB staff brave the cold winter breeze for a barefooted walkathon from the Dikgosi monument to First Place where official proceedings began.
The walkathon was part of the proceedings aimed at having guests experience the plight of children who attend school barefoot every day. Xaixai, Xere, Lepokole, Khekhenye, Sekhutlane, Bere, Matlhako, Moineedi, Ntshe, Mpiti, Jackalas 1, Ipeleng, Ralekgetho and Camp Primary school each received shoes for all their pupils, courtesy of the FNB Foundation.
“The Winter Shoe Drive is becoming a permanent feature on the FNBB Foundation calendar as it will now be happening annually. It is our aim to provide school shoes to all primary school children in Botswana, starting with those in the rural areas. We are all aware that there are pupils in our country who do not have shoes to wear to school, especially outside town areas. We want to ensure that this winter and many others in the future, all children have a decent pair of shoes to wear to school,” said FNBB Communications Manager, Kemiso Ben.
The drive was attended by representatives from the various schools that received shoes worth a total of over P450,000 on behalf of their schools. Camp Primary School in Gaborone received 485, with XaiXai and Bere each receiving 126 pairs. Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Botlogile Tshireletso applauded FNBB Foundation for its contribution to an area that is a major concern for her Ministry and encouraged corporates to take on more initiatives such as the Shoe Drive.
“We would like to thank all those who assisted in making this project a success. It was quite a task getting all the right shoe (s) sizes of the pupils, and we are grateful for the assistance. It is because of such partnerships with the community that the Foundation is able to successfully execute its projects,” said Ben. FNBB Foundation has over the years embarked on and assisted with community projects valued at over P30 million, in an effort to uplift and enrich the lives of communities within which the bank operates. FNBB contributes up to 1% of its after tax profits to the Foundation annually.