FCC, Genk partnership a success
Pini Bothoko | Thursday February 25, 2016 17:01
The two cities signed a memorandum of agreement in 2004 to cooperate in various areas and this has been of mutual benefit to both cities.
He said the areas of cooperation that were agreed on were healthcare, ward development, youth, education, waste management and water sanitation.
Francistown City Council’s (FCC) senior public relations officer, Joseph Wasubera told Mmegi that Francistown has developed in various areas as a result of the twinning agreement.
More than a week ago FCC sent a delegation to Genk as part of a routine visit between the two cities.
“In May two student nurses from the Institute of Health Sciences (IHS) will be going for six months attachment in Genk.
“Two final year students from Regina Mundi hospital in Genk will visit Francistown for internship of six weeks in Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital,” said Wasubera, adding that the students are selected based on their academic performances, professional conduct and clinical practice.
Wasubera said each year, two nursing students from IHS have been attending a five-week attachment programme in different health facilities in Genk, Belgium.
Wasubera said back in 2010 a lecturer from IHS was also trained in Genk on cardio pulmonary resuscitation and went on to train 62 others at IHS.
He said the focus of twinning on healthcare was the training of nursing students at certificate and diploma level, however, there is a need to train students at bachelor’s degree and masters level.
He added that under the education sector since 2013, Setlalekgosi Junior Secondary School and Sint-Jozefinstituut Bokrijk in Genk, were selected to take part in a cultural exchange programme.
Wasubera said the city of Genk is in the process of donating P21,000 to Phathogo Primary School for the blind, after they were impressed with how the school provides education despite the challenging conditions of the pupils.
He said in 2009 the first city of Genk award at the value of €2,500 for the best ward development project was introduced here, with the objective of offering an incentive to thriving community-based projects.
According to Wasubera, since then seven projects have benefited from the award.
“The projects are Area S day care centre, Somerset East day care centre, Donga recreational park, white city Kgotla Leobo, Boikhutso community garden, Phase IV community garden and Monarch recreational park,” said Wasubera.
He said so far the city of Genk has funded projects up to the value of P210,000.
“This project is a way to exchange ideas and experiences between the communities in Genk and Francistown,” he said.
Wasubera said the city would continue to come up with ways to benefit from this twinning agreement.