Royal Treat For Mookane Highfliers
Staff Writer | Monday February 22, 2016 14:52
Since she adopted the local primary school at the time the pass marks were not encouraging, Presidential Award recipient, Pinkie Setlalekgosi’s efforts seems to be bearing fruit. The tiny rural primary school is turning the corner as the Standard Seven results have been steadily improving.
Three first class passes in 2014, have been followed by four, after the woman affectionately referred to Ausi Pinkie had pledged to take all the ‘A-star’ students for an outing of exceptional experience.
In 2014, the first three beneficiaries were treated to a weekend at Thapama Lodge in Francistown. October last year, Ausi Pinkie pledged to take the 2015 ‘A’ students to Sun City regardless of their number, and she honoured the pledge.
That experience of a lifetime for the rural kids finally came on the weekend of February 12. The weekend of joy could have been earlier, had it not been for the delays in the processing of the passports for the youngsters.
It was on the Friday that a driver was eventually sent to pick the four village high-flyers to Gaborone, where they were booked into a lodge before being driven to Sun City. It must have been an experience of a lifetime, as it included sight seeing, immersing themselves in water themed park, tour of Rustenburg City and a shopping spree.
“I have emphasised to them during one of our dinners that I will be monitoring their performances all the way, just as I’m doing with the first group that we produced through this initiative. Our village is very poor and our people are among some of the worst affected by poverty, which can impede a child’s aspirations for high learning. I would like to see these young people transforming into true models, as successful entrepreneurs or professionals,” enthuses Ausi Pinkie.
Among the four kids that got first class at Mookane, is a socially disadvantaged girl who comes from an extended family of 20. “Against all odds she made it, she passed with flying colours. She will need a lot of support going forward, and I cry sometimes when I think of her situation. She will be my adopted daughter from here onwards. I love children and it pains me seeing them having to go through difficulties in life when they are so young and so helpless,” she says with a tear almost dropping from her eyes.
Ausi Pinkie also takes care of a total of 16 children at the primary school, after eight more kids were recently brought to her attention.
In fact on Friday, when The Monitor visited her office, the Mookane Primary School head teacher had called to enquire about the uniforms for the eight pupils. Ausi Pinkie’s response was abrupt too; the uniforms should be in the village by Monday this week.
Ausi Pinkie’s contribution to the local school could no doubt translate into a lot of money; from improving the aesthetics by investing in gardens that surround the schools, to renovating all the classrooms, installing electricity, internet access, computers, photo-copiers and printers, as well as replacing old furniture in class-rooms, upgrading the assembly area. Her energy level at Mookane Primary has been limitless.
Ausi Pinkie’s magnanimity in her home village has also seen her adopting a family of eight that she built a three-bed roomed house, hired them a maid to take care of the children, as well as supporting them with a monthly P3000 grocery.
She is in the process of completing the construction of a home for another needy elderly man that should be handed over by April this year.
According to the village headman Ausi Pinkie has already built 12 toilets in the village as well as taking care of the Kgotla where she donated 200 chairs, including office furniture, and ICT equipment.
Other developments that headman Gaselemogwe Molefi, recalls include bus shelter, fencing of the local grave-yard, commitment to the local football club, as well as the annual Christmas party for elders and the needy in the village.