The Ministry of Local Government recently hosted the poor resident’s committee delegates from Namibia, who were here to study what Botswana does to eradicate poverty.
The main objective of study was to formulate a clear under standing of who is poor in the context of a local municipality area and to come up with a report to the Namibian cabinet on the findings and recommendations thereof; this includes initiatives/ programmes for poverty eradication.
When giving welcome remarks to the Namibian poor residents committee, on Minister P. L Siele said they should feel free to critique any faults they see in the government of Botswana, so that knowledge and services delivery improvements can be exchanged between the two countries.
During her presentation Acting Director of Department of social services Ms. R.M Radibe outlined existing poverty eradication programmes which she said were: On the same breath Ms. Radibe said, about 30% of the population in Botswana is still living below the poverty datum line (POL).
Even though there is poverty eradiating programmes Government has a problem of over dependence in these programmes by Batswana, by not making an effort to meet the government half way as we know "mokoduwe go tsoswa oo ithusang'.
During their stay the Namib ian delegates had chance to visit Ramotswa and Molepolole to see the poverty eradication projects that are currently running, they visited small stock, incubator, sewing, horticulture, bird farming and one house that was built for a less fortunate person.
When giving his vote of thanks the PS of Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development Hon E.l. Ne gonga, said they were grateful to all the help they received and will in turn like Botswana to send representative to Namibia to do the same benchmarking study because there are some areas where they could also learn from them.
From all the presentation given by the Ministry of Local Government and other Ministries what one can take home is, with available poverty eradication programmes Batswana do not have to live in poverty. Backyard gardening, which stated in 2010 in 15 constituencies and currently has 2279 beneficiaries.