25 Jul 2019

The Vice President, Slumber Tsogwane, is expected to be a guest walker at tomorrow’s desert bush walk.

Speaking at a press briefing in Gaborone on Monday one of the organisers, Archibald Nyakayagae, said the desert bush walk was one of the biggest walk/ hiking excursions in the country.

Nkakayagae said the Desert Bush Walk was included in the Botswana Tourism Organisation calendar of events.

He said the walk previously attracted participants from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, East Africa, Australia and Germany and this year it would include Nigeria.

Furthermore, he highlighted that the target for this year’s walk was to register 3 000 participants, registering 1 500 for 30km and 1 500 for 15km.

Ngakayagae said in 2014, they had 500 participants and the event raised enough money for construction of a Creative Learning Centre at Sese Primary School near Jwaneng.

However, in 2016 he said there were 1 300 participants and an amount of P160 000 was raised and donated to the Ministry of Basic Education.

He said P150 000 of the amount went towards a resource centre to benefit 19 primary schools in Jwaneng/Mabutsane region, while the remaining was donated to Operation New Xanagas (ONX) Charity Drive.

In 2017, 2000 participants raised P235 600, which was also donated to the Ministry of Basic Education on behalf of the 14 primary schools in Jwaneng/Mabutshane.

Last year, he said the Desert Bush Walk had 2 700 participants and raised P200 000 which was also donated to the Ministry of Basic Education towards the construction of a reception classroom at Kanaku Primary School in Jwaneng/Mabutsane region.

Ngakayagae further said the walk, which was deemed a wellness and sport tourism event, had not only contributed positively toward education in the Jwaneng/Mabutsane region but had also played a crucial role in promoting a healthy living.

He said for tomorrow’s walk, the organising commitee had resolved that the beneficiaries would not only be confined to the Jwaneng/Mabutsane area but across the country where there was a need.

Another organiser, Aratwa Kgosietsile, said this year they had 34 sponsors and partners.

One of the sponsors from Liberty Life, Gorata Kewakae, said they had been sponsoring the walk since it was formed, and they decided to sponsor because the Desert Bush Walk aligned to part of their existence as a life insurance company because they promote a healthy living.

She said going forward Liberty life would not only contribute money but embark on a financial literacy programme called Mind My Money, which with the Desert Bush Walk committee would roll out to primary schools.

This year’s walk would be the fifth edition and the route will start in Jwaneng continuing as a bush tail into the desert and ending back in Jwaneng again. ENDS