Sir Ketumile Foundation seeks funding

Staff Writer | Wednesday November 14, 2007 00:00

Speaking at the inaugural dinner for the Sir Ketumile Masire Foundation recently, he explained that funding, though committed, took long to come during his DRC mission. In that regard, their survival was only assured after the Botswana government provided initial funds for his mission, he disclosed.

Given the circumstances, Sir Ketumile revealed that his foundation might in future ask for more funds from the Botswana government. However, he was optimistic that the Sir Ketumile Masire Foundation was in a position to fulfill its mission.

Among the objectives of the foundation launched in March 2007 is to facilitate the proactive participation and support good governance, education and agriculture. Its key areas of engagement are to establish a peace foundation and carry out activities that enhance good governance throughout Africa, explore and lend support to specialist organisations that deal with child mortality and other child related health issues.

Further, the foundation aims at exploring solutions and opportunities in the agricultural sector through research.

The foundation intends to work closely with the Botswana government, NGOs and other local and international agencies to initiate and complement ongoing programmes.

Sir Ketumile envisages that through the Foundation, he will establish mechanisms through which individuals, corporations and other institutions could directly participate in the affairs of the Foundation.

The Foundation aims to establish a secretariat.
Sir Ketumile disclosed that the Foundation has to date received more than P100, 000 raised by Mooney and members of Sargam. Coupled with that, royalties expected from publishers of his memoirs, will also contribute.

The guest speaker and former president for Mozambique, Joachim Chissano, said the Foundation will be critical in furthering political, socio-economic and cultural development in Botswana. Chissano further said its key areas of focus bear testimony to the love and passion that Sir Ketumile has for Botswana and its people including the desire to continue to play an active role as an agent of change.

Chissano, also a peace envoy, said it was commendable that the Sir Ketumile Masire Foundation is set to make sure that the forthcoming generations will build on the rich experience of the social and human development achieved during his presidency.

He said Sir Ketumile's leadership was people-centred. For Sir Ketumile, the focus was that government should do all it takes to improve the well-being of its people, said Chissano.