20 Sep 2018

The community of Manyana on September 18 bid farewell to the seven Pitzer College students who have been in the village on an academic mission for the past three weeks. 

Pitzer College is a university which runs a programme in which selected arts and culture students from different colleges in the United States of America are sent to four African countries of Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Tanzania to learn different cultures. 

The main purpose of their visit in Botswana was to promote international understanding and engagement of different cultures found in the country.

In his address, Kgosi Kebinatshwene Mosielele of Manyana said the programme sstrengthened cultural ties between the countries. 

He said he was happy that his village had been chosen to host the students for the past 14 years; hence giving his people an opportunity to participate in the programme.

Kgosi Mosielele also applauded the students for their commitment and hard work towards their academics, saying they showed interest and took part in different cultural activities on a daily basis. 

He said it gave them the opportunity to experience the culture of Batswana in a memorable way.

He further acknowledged the community of Manyana, especially the families that hosted the students, for being compassionate and caring to them, by giving them parental support as well as being able to understand the purpose of the programme.

Furthermore, he revealed that it was of great honour that Pitzer College management staff had in the past recognised the village leadership by inviting them to their main campus in New York. 

He said through the invitation, the college management thanked his community for its warm welcome towards their students and encouraged them to continue with the good spirit they had displayed before.

Kgosi Mosielele was however optimistic that the community of Manyana would continue to host such students well, even the last batch of students which is expected next year.

Giving a brief history of the programme, Pitzer College director in Botswana, Batsi Chidzodzo said the programme started in 2000 with an arrangement that it would last for six months only but with its success story and positive impact it was continued over the years. 

Chidzodzo said the programme catered for third year students who were about to complete their studies, hence it acted as a form of attachment as they would continue with their studies after their stay in Botswana.

He said for the past 18 years, the college had established four centres in Africa being in Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Tanzania, noting that the college payed expenses for students adopted in the programme as well as giving them allowances for their necessities during their stay in the country.

Furthermore, he revealed that he also had the opportunity to meet with families which hosted previous batches of students in order to thank them for their support towards the programme and the students.

Henceforth the college was able to produce many students who have graduated in their arts and culture studies. 

One of the students, Jamie Hamilton, from Sarah Lawrence College in New York, said she was thankful to the receptive community of Manyana. 

She praised them for their outstanding patience when teaching them Setswana, saying it gave them an opportunity to learn different things and what they meant. 

She said it had been an enjoyable stay for them to be able to interact with Batswana using Setswana as the main language.

Hamilton said she had also learned about the traditional way of life of Batswana such as their cultural believes, norms, values and how they related.  

She however revealed that, she had the opportunity to play traditional games and had also enjoyed traditional music. 

She said traditional cuisine also tasted good, mentioning that she enjoyed the taste of ginger beer drink more. ENDS