Botswana Muslim Association donates to Presidential Housing Appeal
Zolani Kraai | Tuesday December 20, 2016 14:54
In his remarks at a ceremony held at the Gaborone Mosque last Thursday, the senior private secretary to the President, Brigadier-General George Tlhalerwa said the BMA donation would go towards building of a house for 38-year-old Sadia Tiny Kgantsho, a disabled member of the Muslim community. Tlhalerwa, who is also the Coordinator of the PHA, extended his gratitude to BMA by saying the initiative has gone far beyond its target since it was conceived in 2010.
“I must stress that Batswana as individuals, NGOs, churches and the business community have tremendously contributed to the PHA in many forms, and the Muslim community has dominated the gestures,” Tlhalerwa said.
He added that the PHA is progressing into the seventh year and the donation by BMA takes the record to 682. For his part, the secretary of the BMA, Mohammed Iqbal Chand said the PHA committee engaged the Muslim community to mobilise resources for building a house for Kgantsho. He also urged her to pray for those who helped her. Chand further mentioned that the donation coincided with the Month the Holy Prophet SAW was born and the Muslims were carrying out his Sunnah.
“The fundraising process was not an easy task and thanks to donations that came from all members of the Muslim community including school going children. As we say in Setswana, ‘Botho bo simolola kwa lwapeng (charity begins at home). Where other countries have failed we have succeeded and this is the hallmark of Botswana’s success,” Chand said.
The Mosque Minister Darwood Dhansay highlighted the fact that the Muslim community adopted one of the pillars of the vision 2016 that states, ‘We should be a caring and compassionate nation,’Dhansay said.
He also said that they are involved in numerous projects across the country citing the borehole drilling and equipping, the University of Botswana (UB) literacy initiative. “At first we thought of drawing a plan for Sadia’s house but then we realised that we would not have achieved our mission hence we concluded by completely building her a house,” Dhansay shared.
The house will be built at Boatle near Ramotswa. Kgantsho could not hide her gratitude and told Mmegi that though she lived a stressful life from her upbringing, she will now be able to live a dignified life.
Libyan Ambassador Hussain Hmida also graced the ceremony.