President Ian Khama has praised Debswana’s (OLDM) Orapa Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mines for uplifting the lives of the under privileged people in Boteti Sub District.
Speaking during the handing over of eight houses by OLDM to destitute persons in Mosu village over the weekend, Khama commended Debswana for supporting government in its efforts to alleviate poverty.
“The construction of these houses is another forward step towards our national poverty eradication vision and for that I commend you more sincerely. This gesture is in line with ‘Orapa today and tomorrow vision’ the aim of which is to leave an impeccable legacy in the Boteti Sub District,” he said.
Khama said that government alone cannot afford to eradicate poverty in the country. He implored the business community and different organizations to join forces and further assist government in its efforts to alleviate poverty. He said that if they join hands in that regard, the national Vision 2016 and the Millennium Development Goal of eradicating poverty would be achieved.
“As you are aware, one of the vision 2016 Pillars calls on us to be a ‘Compassionate, Just and Caring Nation’. If we all embrace this vital pillar and do everything in our power to help make it real, poverty will become a thing of the past and today OLDM is taking that step,” Khama said.
Briefing the participants on the project, the General Manager of OLDM, Dr Adrian Gale said that in November last year, OLDM donated a total of P2.25 million to the Boteti Sub District to support various projects in the sub district. He also said that OLDM raised P1.25million during the annual General Manager’s Sponsored Walk.
“We agreed with the local authorities that that we would use this P1.25 million to support the Presidential Housing Appeal project to close the gap between those who have and those who have not. The ground breaking ceremony was done in Letlhakane in November last year,” he said.
Dr Gale further said that the charity gesture by Debswana is in line with its Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programme. He said that OLDM continues to engage all communities around the mines to understand what projects are closest to their heart, so that it can budget accordingly.
“This year we have been successfully able to disburse some P3.25 million that we were allocated under the CSI programme to support projects ranging from Health, Education, Environment and Sports Development. Our Goal is to fund projects that impact the lives of many and those that are aligned to the National Development Plan in order to demonstrate our support for government’s vision,” he said in conclusion.
