15 Aug 2017

The African Women Leadership Academy (TWALA) in collaboration with Lions Club of the Greater Gaborone has donated 20 toiletry hampers to Manyana Primary School special unit class recently.

The toiletry hampers included three packets of sanitary pads, toothpaste, bathing cloth, and toothbrushes.

Speaking at the handing over, TWALA Project coordinator, Ms Onthatile Moeti said it was one of TWALA’s primary goals to offer a helping hand to the disadvantaged and vulnerable children in the community.

She said donating to special needs pupils was a way of motivating and teaching them to be positive and appreciate the predicament which had befallen them. She said it was important for them to be aware of issues surrounding them and how to deal with them.

Ms Moeti said young girls should be taught about social ills such as incest and rape, as they were likely to encounter such incidents in life.

She urged pupils to always report sexual abuse to teachers and parents, whenever they encountered them because if not reported it early could traumatize them.

Ms Moeti said living with trauma as a disabled child was one big nightmare which might make them fail to face society and develop hatred towards people thus forcing them to isolate themselves.

She pleaded with parents to develop a strong relationship with their children in order for them to be open and close to them so that whenever they have problems they could easily report to them, thus creating a friendly environment for them to be able to express themselves without fear.

Ms Moeti further encouraged parents to be supportive to their children and never lose hope about the conditions of their children.

She encouraged pupils to identify their goals and understand what they stand for.

She said even though TWALA focuses more on young women it has incorporated programs to cater for young men, starting 2010 through the brains of Dr Mpho Gilika based at the University of Botswana.

For her part, Manyana Primary School head, Ms Annah Ntane-Babusi applauded the two organisations for their spirit of compassion and giving to the community.

She said the donation came at the right time, because her school had been running short of resources at the special unit class, therefore she commended and appreciated their assistance.

She said the school has 580 students, with 13 pupils at the special unit and they faced challenges of shortage of structures for special needs class.

One Parent Teachers Association (PTA) member, Miss Kabo Motlogelwa said she was thankful for the donation and hoped it would have a positive impact on the beneficiaries. She thanked TWALA for the lecture on taking take care of a girl child.Ends