03 Sep 2019

The world over, community based initiatives meant to benefit members are always blessed and achieve the intentions they were meant to achieve.

Different communities in Botswana have come up with community based initiatives geared at helping those living in the area create employment and improve living standards.

In the village of Letlhakeng, about 60 kilometres from Molepolole in Kweneng District, a community initiative called Shegotja Molelo, founded by Ms Goitsemang Motshonono continues to bear fruit as it has assisted many people in the village and countrywide.

In an interview, Ms Motshonono said the society was founded in 2006 by her and other women after the realisation that there were different ‘statuses’ afforded funerals in the village depending on the position of the deceased’s family in society.

She said during the time the initiative was birthed, many families were challenged to bury their loved ones due to lack of funds.

Ms Motshonono said the initiative started with only 12 women who contributed P100 whenever there was a bereavement for one of the members, and that the number increased with time.

Shegotja Molelo founder said contributions made whenever there was a bereavement were not sustainable, as people could not do so due to lack of money as others were not working.

“A decision was then taken to contribute monthly and the strategy eased the pressure on members, and they never failed to contribute towards funerals,” she said.

Ms Motshonono said when many people joined, they started saving the money with Botswana Building Society, which she said meant that people were now sure of being assisted whenever tragedy struck.

She said she was happy that now families were being assisted through the society and no one was being helped by social workers in the village.

Ms Motshonono expressed joy that the society was fully functional, has funeral cover benefits and has spread across the country where many other Batswana were assisted.

The president of Shegotja Molelo Society, Ms Goleba Mokwena said the establishment of the noble initiative addressed bread and butter issues that affected the lives of Batswana.

She said over time, the number grew to 25 then to 120, and now they have close to 11 000 members countrywide.

Ms Mokwena said the society was legally registered in 2011 and was launched in 2013 by the then Assistant Minster of Trade and Industry, Mr Keletso Rakhudu. 

She added that the main objective was to focus on social and economic upliftment and well-being of Batswana.

She also said Shegotja Molelo Society was now open to both men and women aged 18 to 64 years, adding that at its launch, the society had eight branches with each branch comprising of over 100 members covering Kweneng West and Kgalagadi Districts, but it currently stands at 25 branches across the country, which means that other Batswana have found the importance of the initiative.

Ms Mokwena said BBS has also aided them in their poverty eradication drive such as purchasing a tuck shop for one of their members living with disability as well as contributions towards the construction of a house in Tsetseng. She said the bank had also donated snacks towards the launch of various branches like Lehututu, Molepolole and Tsootsha among others.

She said in 2016, the society contributed P10 000 towards a road tragedy that befell Matsha community college in Kang, bought uniform for Motokwe Primary School worth P18 000 and in 2017 handed over smallstock to three underprivileged people in Mabutsane worth P30 000.

She said last year they contributed P11 200 to Letlhakeng/Lephephe constituency to be used during former president, Lt Gen Seretse Khama Ian Khama’s farewell and in February 2019 they donated a two and half house with furniture to a less privileged person in Digawana in the Southern District.

Ms Mokwena said they were happy with the progress the society has made so far and new ideas were on the pipeline to venture into other investment sectors.

She said the society has its own offices, which they bought for P250 000 and they also have a plot near Gothibamang Primary School on which they want to build their new offices, which shall have other amenities. 

She said they recently bought three mini-buses for the headquarters, Mogoditshane and Macheng branches.

She further said she was happy that the society did not have debt and their funeral covers were appealing.

Ms Mokwena revealed that they used to cover their members with P40 600 but that the reviewed coverage of funerals stood at P60 600, which includes a casket, two tents, society vehicle, 50 chairs, gazebos and stretch tents among others. 

She said initially they were giving the money to the families, but realised later that there were some discrepancies on how the money was used and decided to buy other things before releasing the remaining balance.

She said the new funeral cover also gave an opportunity to members to provide coverage for extended family. Ends