Announcing the deal and handing over the first cheque of P300,000 at a gala dinner at the GICC ABM executive director Daisy Molefhi described her gesture as a drop in the ocean as she said the SOS village’s national budget runs into P19 million a year. She urged the local corporate sector and individuals to stand up and support the SOS village as its objectives of taking care of the vulnerable, homeless and abandoned children is very noble. Molefhi says when she was approached for support a few years ago, she initiated a six week research about the SOS and found that their objectives cannot be ignored especially that children do not choose to be abandoned, orphaned, or vulnerable, adding that it is a circumstance that can happen to any child growing up, and therefore those more fortunate have the responsibility to come on board and assist. Molefhi says the SOS Village has been of late been faced with serious financial challenges that forced them to close down kindergartens around the country, and lay off workers.
Earlier on, the SOS village chairman, Major General Bakwena Oitsile told the audience that they used to get 70% of their funding from abroad before the economic hardships in Europe forced their mother body to drastically cut down on their subventions.
