SOS faces financial threat

Faith Siako | Monday June 29, 2015 16:24

Speaking at the SOS Celebration Day on Friday, Kitso said the organisation has insufficient funds to cater for its needs.

He said that the government’s annual grant is not sufficient to run the organisation. “In a year the village needs P18 million to operate. In a month it needs P1.5 million, but the government covers only 40 percent of that, which is not sufficient,” said Kitso.

He said that they raise 60 percent locally to be able to meet all the needs of the children in the village.

Kitso disclosed that in the past they had to close all the clinics in the villages throughout the country to reduce high operational costs.

He added that they have also partnered with government to take over pre-schools because it is costly to maintain them.

Kitso said they are faced with another challenge of lack of assistance from community members to help raise the children.

He said that in some instances, they have obstacles of holding negotiations for some mature children when community members want to marry them.

“It is difficult to proceed with marriage negotiations since the children do not have biological parents and relatives to take part in these proceedings,” he said.

He pleaded with the public to volunteer towards the raising of children in their homes because SOS Children’s Village cannot cater for all the children who need assistance in Botswana alone. Kitso also asked for greater community involvement in taking care of these children through giving them love, financial assistance, and finding homes for the children.

Former vice president, Ponatshego Kedikilwe addressed some of the challenges faced by SOS saying that every generation has its own obstacles that need appropriate remedies.

He said that individuals and companies must lend a helping hand in assisting the children because if they abandon them they are letting down the nation.

“The government has many commitments, for instance education, health services, old age pension and soldiers’ pension.  It cannot meet all the needs for trust fund organisations,” he said.