Govt engages church on poverty eradication
Zolani Kraai | Wednesday August 17, 2016 16:14
Speaking at the Botswana Council of Churches (BCC) golden jubilee celebrations held at Kagisong Centre over the weekend, Makgalemele said his ministry will continue to partner with churches to build their capacity to disseminate information on poverty eradication and other empowerment programmes offered by government. He said such partnerships include using diverse skills base and expertise of church members, advocacy on government programmes and access to church buildings to help members access government schemes.
Makgalemele also said among other explored prospects will be for the church to help in monitoring of poverty eradication projects. Furthermore, he said he appreciates the establishment of a partnership between Ministry of Health (MoH) and Faith Sector Response to HIV and AIDS Committee that seeks to build capacity of the churches to respond to HIV/AIDS issues.
“A committee has already made considerable progress to mobilise resources to establish a secretariat that will coordinate the Faith Sector HIV and AIDS response,” Makgalemele said.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, BCC president and bishop of the Anglican Church Right Reverend Metlhayotlhe Beleme highlighted the pivotal role of the church in shaping the history of Botswana. He said the church has always and will remain interested in the socio-economic, political and spiritual matters of Botswana.
“I must state that as the church we do not condone partisan politics but we will always be involved in socio-economic and political issues because politics is about the daily affairs of our people, their needs, their demands, their joys and struggles,” he said.
Beleme also noted that the BCC is grateful to its forefathers and mothers, members of the clergy, churches and volunteers who toiled and laboured over the past 50 years to promote community and church unity.
Among the international and regional partners that graced the occasion were the president of Southern African Council of Churches and presiding Minister of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Right Reverend Ziphosihle Siwa, Norwegian Church Aid representatives Guro Almas and Moreblessing Chidaushe, World Council of Churches representative, Fuluta Lusungu-Moyo.