UNDP empowers Shorobe community trusts

Boniface Keakabetse | Tuesday August 18, 2015 10:56

Speaking in Shorobe during the donation of eight camping tents to the Shorobe Community Development Trust on Wednesday, Sisay said UNDP is in partnership with the  government of Botswana, which is currently undertaking sustainable land management projects in the impoverished districts of Chobe, Ngamiland and Makgadikgadi in Boteti.

The projects, which are geared at improving the livelihoods of locals, are funded by the Global Environmental Fund, and implemented by UNDP, the department of Forestry and Range Resources and the department of Environmental Affairs.

Sisay said apart from achieving their intended goals,  which among other things are to improve livelihoods and solve land degradation, the projects also aims to help community members start viable community businesses to improve their living conditions.

Sisay also said that they donated the eight tents and an equal number of mattresses after the Shorobe community requested the items during UNDP Administrator Helen Clarke’s recent visit to Botswana, where she addressed a kgotla meeting in the village.

Deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Environment Wildlife and Tourism, Jimmy Opelo said the empowerment of community trusts is a welcome development.

He said government, would through the assistance of development agencies strive to achieve the financial empowerment of the community trusts.

Opelo however challenged the trusts to use the help they got from government and its partners prudently saying what they do has to reflect on the lifestyles of the communities they service. Shorobe area councillor Oabile Chombo said the donated tents would benefit the Shorobe Community Trusts, which strive to begin their business operations soon. He also said that the trust has been leased a concession area, where they constructed camp sites to start a tourism business.

Chombo promised that the donation would be prudently used for its intended purpose.