US embassy funds local businesses, NGOs

In an interview with Mmegi on Friday, Self Help Coordinator at the US embassy in Gaborone, Elena Andreotti, said the objective of the funding was to encourage self-reliance within local communities and demonstrate the embassy’s interest in the welfare of social development of Botswana.

“Funding priority is given to projects that include an important community contribution and/or involvement that leads to the organisations to be self-sustaining activities,” Andreotti said, adding that the funding was expended on new or existing projects. She explained that since 2011, the US embassy’s Self Help Fund had granted over $420,000 (approximately P3 million) to 40 various community-based projects throughout Botswana.