FNBB Foundation Shoe Drive A Welcome Initiative

Monitor Editor | Monday May 16, 2016 12:29

Just recently MP Tshenolo Mabeo in conjunction with an international NGO donated bicycles and school bags to some rural students in his constituency, while a few years ago Orange Botswana also donated nicely designed donkey carts to the Office of the President (OP) to distribute in rural areas where pupils struggle to go to schools due to long distances

In fact, a charity within the OP has been established to raise funds to get the rural poor some bicycles to use to travel to and from schools.

There have also been exemplary out-reach initiatives such as the BIHL’s rural libraries that have been built in various schools and stocked with books to improve learning.

There have been many more organisations and individuals who have undertaken the same tremendous initiatives who deserve the kudos.

Statistics show that it is the rural schools that traditionally do not do well in either primary or junior secondary schools results, and reaching to them through shoe donations, Orange Botswana donkey carts, bicycles, libraries, can go a long way in mitigating their circumstances.

In a sparsely-populated country like Botswana, reaching out to the rural poor can be a challenge indeed, and those organisations and individuals who have taken it upon themselves to remember these needy members of our society deserve commendations.

We also would like to remind our philanthropists that more still needs to be done, especially for the rural children, to take tools of development to them to enable them to be the best they can and aspire to reach for the skies.