NGOs, Batswana must speak out

Editor | Tuesday October 16, 2007 00:00

As BOCONGO notes, 'NGO Week represents a time for deep reflection and renewal of our commitment, strategic directions and mandates for the years ahead'. 

The Botswana Council of NGOs (BOCONGO) activities have as their theme: 'Our roadmap towards the attainment of Vision 2016 and MDGs'. This is the 117-member organisations' fifth event. BOCONGO says the theme aims at engaging NGOs as vehicles of change to drive and promote community participation in the implementation of Vision 2016 and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It also intends to encourage NGOs, government, private sector and development partners to integrate the MDGs into the national development plans'. NGOs are indeed partners in development, particularly for a developing country such as Botswana.  We shudder to think of the direction the development of Botswana could have taken without the critical input of the NGOs. The member organisations that comprise BOCONGO touch all social, political and economic facets of life in our society.   

It is for this reason that we encourage all Batswana to join BOCONGO in their reflection and renewal of commitment. We appeal in particular to the residents of Francistown and the surrounding areas to partake in the commemorative activities planned in that city this week. These include panel discussions, cultural performances and exhibitions. 

The highlight of the NGO week will be the commemoration of the International Day of the Eradication of Poverty - October 17 - on Wednesday (tomorrow). This will be part of the world wide campaign mounted under the auspices of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP). Tomorrow's event intends to draw a record participation of a billion people worldwide under the theme: 'Stand Up - Speak Out - against poverty and for the MDGs'. Similarly, we also call on Batswana to stand up and speak out tomorrow. 

We understand the organisers have roped in affiliate organisations such as faith-based entities, health organisations, youth organisations and many others. Let this event be a reflection of the many facets of our lives that is touched by the different sectors of the NGOs. 

                                                    Today's Thought
In life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action.

                                                   -  Anthony Robbins