The National Primary School Heads Conference (NPHSC) and other stakeholders broke ground at the home of a poor Ramotswa family where they are going to build a three bedroomed house.
The Diseko family leaves in a tin shack with their 16 children and grand children at Sephitshwane ward in Ramotswa.
The NPHSC which comprises of 775 primary school headteachers from 10 regions undertook to help the family after consulting with the Department of Social and Community Development to bring forward candidates to benefit from their kind gesture.
According toNPHSC Chairman, Elias Segwagwe, when the school headteachers met for their annual conference, they decided to be compassionate and gave food hampers to a poor man in Tlokweng and a poor woman and her children in Mogoditshane. “But we heard that the food basket would not be enough in Ramotswa because the family needed a house,” he said.
Segwagwe said they approached businesses to help them with the task since they didn't have enough money.
Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Education, Macheng Macheng said after much scrutiny and and consideration of other circumstances the decision was made to donate the house to the Diseko family. “The headteachers are not doing this because they are employed and have money, but they were moved by love. This is to show compassion to those who are less fortunate especially the children,” he said.
Macheng said the gesture was in line with the road map set by the country's president Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama to be compassionate to the less fortunate of our society and added that it was also enshrined in the national vision calling for a 'compassionate, just and caring nation
“A house is more than just a dwelling structure. It's a place of family bonding, a place of refuge from the elements of nature such as excessive heat, torrential rains and molesting winds. A house is a place of refuge from man made disasters such as burglaries, carnage of rapists and other molestations,” Macheng said.
Welcoming the kind guests to her village, Balete Chief, Mosadi Seboko thanked them and said they should not be surprised that Mr and Mrs Diseko were getting a house despite being in their youth. She told of how Mr Diseko whose parents had gone to work in Zambia had to return home after his father died but was unfortunate that his life never picked up.
South East District Council Secretary, Anne Joubert was also moved by the gesture and said; “This was a shortage for your children's food. Thank you for not only opening your hearts but your pockets as well.”
She promised that they would work together with other stakeholders as partners to see to it that the house is completed in time. The local government which prepared drawings would also provide technical support.
Builders Warehouse donated 300 bags of cement while Stanbic Bank, Botsalano Book Press and Collegium Publishers each donated P10 000. Other good samaritans include Diamond who gave P2 000, STC Cleaning Chemicals who gave P5 000 as well as Builder's World who donated P500. The Seventh Day Adventist church had connected a stand pipe for the family and special mention was made of Modiri Phuthego who donated P130 000 while still employed by Metropolitan.
The building of the house is going to be undertaken by the students of Tswelelo Brigade in Ramotswa with technical support from the local government.
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