Letshego Gives Away A Moraka In A Cultural Style
Staff Writer | Monday April 11, 2016 15:28
Kediretswe grounds in Palapye will be a scene of a traditional festivities with members of the community participating to prepare traditional pots, among them slaughtered live cattle, as the company awards the lucky winner a moraka of 19 heifers and a bull. The event, which is scheduled to take place this Saturday April 16, will start at 10am and all members of the Palapye community are invited to this exciting community engagement.
Moraka is a long held Tswana custom of sustaining the economy of a family. From days immemorial, moraka had been a hallowed custom and the kgomo became synonymous with life itself with the adage, ka e tlhoka ka tlhoka boroko, symbolising the value of cattle rearing as a vital economic activity in the life of a Motswana. According to Letshego Financial Services Botswana Chief Executive Officer, Frederick Mmelesi, his company launched Client Economic Empowerment initiatives in line with their commitment to improving lives. The giving away of the moraka is in line with Letshego’s newly launched focus, “Touching Lives”. “It is a strong message we are sending, that we can change lives, true to our tagline, “Lets improve lives”; it is a commitment in terms of what we want to achieve.
Mmelesi, as a citizen, is of the view that, due to the high value our traditions have placed on cattle, the winner of the moraka will have a sentimental attachment to the prize and urge him or her to look after the cattle so that in future they could continue to be his or her revenue stream.
According to Mmelesi Letshego have decided to handover the moraka to the winner after locating his or her place of origin, to avoid burdening the winner with the task of relocating the moraka at a huge cost. “After deciding the winner, we would then buy him or her the moraka in an area close to his or her locality, to make transportation of the beasts much easier”, Mmelesi explained. However, on Saturday there will be meraka on show, for members of the community in Palapye to appreciate, and possibly discuss business with the owners of the cattle. Mmelesi sees moraka as business, and sees the 19 heifers and a bull as the ideal startup “The economy is proving well that even if you are employed, we still need another revenue stream”. It is the third Letshego economic empowerment initiative to its customers in the last three years.The first economic empowerment initiative saw four lucky winners going away with mobile kitchens/caravans, fitted with stoves, dishing area, and selling points. In fact one of the four winners today is running a thriving food business at the CBD, with Letshego’s assistance.
The following year, another lucky winner got a house valued at P1.1 million in Gaborone. “We chose Gaborone for the house prize because it is rare to find land, and the prices for houses appreciate and rental will be very attractive. Today the owner is enjoying rental income from the house,” explained Mmelesi. While the last two prizes handover were hosted in Gaborone, Mmelesi says they have decided to spread this one to another town since Letshego’s clientele is spread nationwide. “ We are very excited about the grand draw in Palapye. We have been consulting dikgosi, politicians, district commissioner’s office. The various authorities have also been dispersing the message about the grand finale,” he said.