Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) Corporate Social Responsibility chairperson Mr Simon Meti said that during a ground breaking ceremony of a three classroom block at Francistown Centre for Deaf Education. BDC pledged P 800 000 towards construction Mr Meti said BDC holds in high regard charitable and non profit making organisations such as the centre which provides for the welfare and interest of the deaf population in the country.
He commended the organisations work in advocating for the rights of the deaf population , saying this ensured that they got appropriate skills and general education to empower them socially and economically.
Mr Meti said BDC had a responsibility in conjunction with other agencies to give disadvantaged people the opportunity and encouragement they need, be it employment, care, education or training opportunities.
We should also enable them to explore their talents and help them to achieve their full potential both in terms of participation in the labour market and in a wider society.
Thus he said they found it imperative that BDC participate in the construction of the classroom block by pledging P800 000 as it would help the centre to increase its capacity and give more benefits to the disadvantaged members of the society Mr Meti also encouraged students benefiting from the centre to join the labour market so that they contribute positively to the economy of the country.
In the current fiscal year, he said BDC spent more that P1.5 million to similar initiatives. The centres treasurer Mr Ronald Fish said through the donation from BDC, the Vision 2016 aspiration of an Informed and Educated Nation would be realised Through this donation the quality of education and life for the young children of the centre would improve and they will no longer attend classes in the dining hall or in the hostels as it is the case today, he said.
For his part, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation, Mr Phandu Skelemani said some people do not appreciate the gift that god gave them in the form of hearing and speaking.
Mr Skelemani said the society tend to take for granted that in life one should hear and talk. It is now clear to me that we have not made enough provision for leaders of tomorrow who are disabled to take over from us, he said.
Acting School Head Mr Penena Mandase said the school had 96 students and most of them were learning in the dinning hall which has been partitioned. She said BDC had answered their call as students needed a learning environment with sound proof.
Ms Mandase said most of the parents could not communicate with their children and those who were able were not willing to bring the signs they use at home so that they could integrate and incorporate them in the school curricula.
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