MOSETSE: Botash, the largest producer of natural sodium products (soda ash and salt) and its football team, Sua Flamingoes Football Club, left Tebogo Majaga and her children feeling like the salt of the earth after building the family a fully-fledged house.
The noble gesture by Botash, Flamingoes and other stakeholders is in line with the objectives of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights which recognises everyone’s right to an adequate standard of living, including adequate housing. Majaga’s new house is electrified and has running water and a toilet.
Previously Majaga, 40, and her 11 children bore the brunt of harsh weather conditions because they were living under a tree. Before Botash and Flamingoes came to the Majagas' rescue, Moses Chuma, who is their neighbour, accommodated them in his other yard after Majaga narrated her family’s plight to him.
Giving a keynote address at the auspicious event, Botash managing director, Kangangwani Phatshwane said that as a developing country, Botswana is facing some challenges which include a lack of adequate housing and unemployment.
Phatshwane added that there is a disparity between the rich and poor and as such various stakeholders have to come on board to help the less privileged in society.
“The status quo calls for different stakeholders to assist where possible in situations that Majaga and her children are facing. Raising children in an inadequate shelter will negatively affect their overall wellbeing. In this regard, let me thank Flamingoes and other stakeholders for finding it fit to help the Majagas. The assistance that Flamingoes rendered is in line with the objectives of their 2020–2025 strategic plan of helping communities with sustainable projects... I, therefore, plead with you to support Flamingoes to win the Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) Premier League. I also promise you that Botash will roll out this idea to other villages within its sphere of operations,” said an ecstatic Phatshwane.
Giving the overview of the project, Flamingoes chair, Tirelo Thebe, said they came up with the idea of building a house for someone within areas where Botash operates.
“We informed Botash management (Phatshwane) about our idea and they (he) embraced it. We consulted Dikgosi, Village Development Committees and other stakeholders about our idea and they also warmly welcomed it. We raised funds through a sponsored walk and cycling challenge. Other companies that are doing business with Botash and individuals also came on board. We then enlisted the assistance of the Social and Community Development office to help us identify a beneficiary and they identified the Majagas. Therefore, it will be amiss of Botash and Flamingoes not to thank everyone who contributed either financially or in-kind to make sure that this project becomes a success,” Thebe gaily said.
In her words of appreciation, Majaga stated that the life of her family was a living hell before Chuma and subsequently Botash, who came to their aid. “We used to sleep under a tree. The situation was very bad during the rainy season. Our little food was soaked in the rain. I, however, prayed to God to help us. I, therefore, thank everyone who made sure that now my family has a proper shelter,” Majaga briefly said with tears welling up in her eyes.
