BOCCIM throws lifeline to Childline

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Thursday October 14, 2010 00:00

 

The money, which BOCCIM collected from its members, was handed over to the cash-strapped organisation in Gaborone on Monday.

In response to an appeal BOCCIM made to its members, Bifm donated P5, 000, KPMG P120, 000, Intek P1, 500, Solar Power P1, 000, Debswana P10, 000, Botswana Insurance Company P25, 000 while BOCCIM's staff donated P8, 360.

The Executive Director of BOCCIM, Maria Machailo-Ellis, said she became aware of the financial plight of Childline when she attended a benefit concert held for the organisation.

She subsequently called a management meeting and presented the matter, which resulted in the appeal to members.Speaking at the handing over ceremony at BOCCIM House, Machailo-Ellis said efforts to raise more funds for Childline would continue.

A representative of Childline, Aobakwe Sebego, told Mmegi in an interview that they were grateful to BOCCIM because the organisation [Childline] was entirely dependent on donors.

Childline Botswana was established in 1991 as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO). The Botswana Chapter is part of the organisation's worldwide network.

The main focus of Childline is to help abused children and families. Sebego says there is a place of safety for abused children that can cater for up to 20 children.

Childline takes infants and children aged up to five years. There are 21 children of different backgrounds currently housed at the centre, the youngest of whom is one month old.

Some of the children were abused at home while others were neglected. There was one case of an infact who was found in a suitcase that was left in a bus.

Some of the children are in poor health and need medical attention. Sebego, who is an intern at Childline, says it costs a lot of money to maintain a child at Childline.

Childline follows specific dietary programmes to feed the children who are not well. The organisation grows its own vegetable table garden for this purpose.

Childline works with the police and social workers to identify deserving cases. The organisation also runs an outreach programme under which it approaches schools and stages puppet shows for communities.

The puppet shows have become a popular means of communicating with children. Childline Botswana has a satellite office in Francistown to cater for the northern region.

The organisation works hand-in-hand with other organisations which are doing similar work, among them, the Mpule Kwelagobe Centre and SOS Children's Village.

Sebego says they have a 24-hour toll-free number that members of the public can call to report cases of abuse. They also conduct counselling on the phone line. 'We call it a crisis line,' Sebego says.

Childline further offers a walk-in kind of service in which clients ranging from children to adults pop in at the centre for various services.  The centre houses a play therapy room equipped with toys to help children who cannot express themselves about their experiences. Childline employs house mothers who work with professionals with psychologists and social workers. Recently, Childline volunteers Layani Makwinja staged a walk from Francistown to Gaborone to raise funds for the organisation. Ladies of Jazz also staged two benefit concerts for Childline.

During her reign, Miss Botswana 2009, Sumiya Marope, identified Childline as one of the pet projects. The former beauty queen remains a Childline volunteer to-date.