Vision 2016 Award spurs businessman to help the needy

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Thursday October 7, 2010 00:00

When Mmegi visited him in Palapye, Onneetse Ramogapi said the Vision 2016 Award has motivated him to work hard for the community.

He says for the last five years he has awarded scholarships each year to four disadvantaged students of his community.  The students will be enrolled at Royal English Medium Primary School and Royal Professional College which he owns. 

This all started in 2004 when Ramogapi was presented with the Vision 2016 ward for contributing to the realisation of an informed and educated nation in the establishment of the two schools.

The number of beneficiaries has since grown to 20 as the scholarship programme, styled Thuto 2016, reaches its fifth year in 2010.

The 20 students originate from Palapye and neighbouring villages. Sixteen of the students have since graduated.Ramogapi says beneficiaries are selected by dikgosi, social workers, and the village development committees, who all write to the school stating the cases of the prospective students. 'I personally felt very motivated to do something like this; to add the component of compassion, to the education that we provide', he added. Besides being a businessman Ramogapi is also a councillor and chairman of the Palapye-sub district.

To date Ramogapi's primary school, headed by veteran teacher Salome Mothupi boasts of 160 pupils. When it opened its doors in 2004, Mothupi says they had only 30 pupils.

Their professional college, a BOTA accredited and registered entity, has 150 students training in certificate-level courses in computer application, business studies, secretarial, human resources, marketing, PR, accounting and clothing design & textiles.

A civil engineer and strategist (he holds a Masters Degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Derby, UK).Ramogapi also counts among the influential voices in Palapye.

He stood for council elections in 2004 and 2010 and won and when Palapye was made the administration authority, Ramogapi became the founding chairman last year, a position that he retained earlier this year.