Dikganarita, The MLG Events Coordinating Committee

The Ministry of Local Government Events Coordinating Committee, Dikganarita is responsible for driving the Ministry’s Vision 2016 pillar of, ‘A compassionate, just and caring nation,’ and the Ministry’s Corporate Social Investment initiative. Within the MLG context, Corporate Social Investment focuses on establishing social infrastructure and building strength and capabilities that contribute to the upliftment of communities. This is done through collaborative partnerships.

It makes sense for the Ministry to align its Corporate Social Investment spend with its core objectives and imperatives. ‘Such an approach moves Corporate Social Investment out of the charitable sphere into one in which true partnerships with beneficiaries, business and NGO’s bring about long-term sustainable development to the benefit of all.’

To this end, Dikganarita connected portable water for four destitute and disabled residents of Letlhakeng village, in the Kweneng District. The four stand pipes were handed to the beneficiaries at the launch of the 2009 Vision 2016 Awareness Month on Saturday 29th August, 2009.

Beneficiaries of the standpipes were identified by social workers in the village. The beneficiaries are Ms Ntshwarelang Nkwena of Shageng ward, Ms Leinane Gaseitsiwe of Mokwele ward, Ms Letlhoko Gaoforwe of Modimo ward and Ms Ntshese Leupa of Moiphisi ward.

Funding for this project was raised through the generous pledges and the clientele of Dikganarita’s fundraising activities. Dikganarita were able to raise funds through donations, car wash initiatives, cake sales and the sale of braai packs and beverages. The money raised was used to purchase the pipes and taps while Dikganarita members put in time and labour to dig the trenches for the water pipes and in connecting the beneficiaries stand pipes to the village portable water network.

The donation of the stand pipes for the vulnerable members of society in Letlhakeng follows on similar initiatives in Maun and Ramokgonami. Earlier last year, a needy family in Maun also had water connected to their home during the Ministry’s Open Day while the community of Ramokgonami was assisted with the establishment of a community garden and primary school orchard at the 2008 launch of the Vision 2016 Awareness Month.

Speaking at the launch of the 2009 Vision 2016 Awareness Month His Honour the Vice President Lt Gen Sebogodi Mompati Merafhe said, “The country has performed relatively well especially on the pillar of a compassionate, just and caring nation that scored a 96 percent followed by the pillar on an educated and informed nation at 85 percent,”

The National Vision 2016 is Botswana’s strategy to propel the country’s socio-economic and political development into a competitive, winning and prosperous nation. The vision is a result of extensive consultations with a wide spectrum of individuals and institutions in the country. It reflects the aspirations of Batswana about their long-term future.

2009 marked seven years to the targeted National Vision 2016 and the month of September has been marked as the country’s National Vision 2016 Awareness Month. It is during this month that the National Vision 2016 Council accords individuals and institutions the opportunity to evaluate progress towards the realization of the national goals. The theme for the 2009 National Vision 2016 Awareness Month was, “Turning Challenges into Opportunities: The Journey Continues.”

Dikganarita will continue to go beyond the call of duty to symbolize and consolidate one of the Peoples Ministry’s core values of botho by supporting and demonstrating that Batswana are, indeed, ‘a compassionate, just and caring nation.’