Addressing dignitaries during the OLDM Engineering Department handover, the mining company senior Engineering Manager Lefhoko Sethoko said Mmatshumo village is one of the communities within the OLDM area of influence that the Engineering department supports. He said as part of giving back to the community, the department saw it fit to assist Mmatshumo Primary School with a donation valued at P123,977.60 in order to bring an impact to the school performance. Sethoko explained that their donation consists of 140 chairs, 140 desks, football, volleyball and netball kits for both boys and girls. He added that they also donated three balls for football, volleyball and netball respectively.
“This initiative that we have undertaken as the Engineering Department, through the additional support of our business partner Edwaleni Holdings and CEEP which forms part of Debswana’s wider employee volunteerism initiative, the organisation recognises the positive contribution that its employees are also able to make towards communities,” said OLDM senior engineering manager. He further said Debswana has identified key strategic focus areas for its employees volunteerism initiatives with an aim of making the greatest impact. He believed that Standard 6 and 7 pupils would use the donated classroom furniture amongst others.
Sethoko said the donation would play a critical role in helping them reach the Debswana Building Forever Strategy target of having all of the schools in their area of influence in the top 20 nationally by 2030. He further stated that as the Engineering Department they have continued to strengthen relations with the community of Mmatshumo and have been involved in a number of community activities. He said they have also assisted through the procurement of a laptop for the school as well as the donation of shoes and blankets for 25 Orphans and Vulnerable Children’s (OVC’s) through the office of the social worker.
