ALUBDEV donates paints to UB
Cavin Kanoko | Friday June 26, 2020 16:33
The trust was formed in 1993 following a major fundraising drive aimed at alleviating student accommodation needs by the UB on-campus students. The initiative led to the construction of the 476 hostels valued at P3.5 million on campus along with an adjoining janitor’s house. The trust was formed with the aim of promoting education in Botswana in general and to assist the university in the provision of education.
The university’s Vice Chancellor David Norris said the trust’s contribution to the institution’s infrastructural needs, owing to the infrastructure’s state of disrepair; something that the university is unable to address due to its financial woes is a commendable effort. He pointed out that third stream income is essential in the running of a university and further said in other African universities generate more than 50 percent of their revenue.
“We have come up with a new strategy which includes the transformation of the UB into a research intensive and entrepreneurial university,” Norris told the members of the trust. He further said that the new strategy would include the engagement of different industries and the society to help the university to find new avenues to generate its own income and reduce its dependence on the government to cover its expenses.
Former Professor, Esther Seloilwe who is the trust’s Deputy Chairperson detailed out some of the contributions that the trust made to the university which include the donation of paints for the refurbishment of the student residences valued at P50, 000. She also talked about the trust’s work on research which includes work that the trust is currently engaged in based on Lenyalo traditions and practices along with others that the trust plans to partner with UB to carry out in the future.
The trust has also diversified its portfolio by investing in the Botswana Stock Exchange in order to ensure the continuation of its mandate in future including building a further five houses in Gaborone West area for purposes of housing junior members of staff at the university.