Selebi Phikwe — Mayor of Selebi Phikwe, Mr Molosiwa Molosiwa, has commended 30 beneficiaries, who have graduated from the Poverty Eradication Programme.
Speaking during Selebi Phikwe and Bobonong Poverty Eradication Programme Mass Packaging and Expo 2019 in Selebi Phikwe on Tuesday, Mr Molosiwa said of the 30 graduates, 14 were from Bobonong whilst 16 were from Selebi Phikwe.
He said the beneficiaries displayed commitment and perseverance in the management of their businesses and should serve as role models.
The programme targetted women, youth and people living with disabilities to start small business enterprises.
It further aimed at economically empowering and capacitating current and prospective beneficiaries to lead dignified lives and create sustainable employment.
Since the programme's inception in 2011, Mr Molosiwa said Bobirwa Sub-district had funded a total of 1 321 projects covering 1 351 beneficiaries that qualified to be enrolled under the programme.
Out of 13 51 beneficiaries, 1 132 were women while 219 were men.
A total of 72 beneficiaries from Bobirwa Sub-district backlog also received their packages during the event, effectively closing the sub-district's backlog.
The packages included small stock, recycling and pot manufacturing.
Selebi Phikwe on the other hand funded 574 projects since the programme's inception covering 597 beneficiaries.
Of the 53 backlog for Selebi Phikwe, 21 beneficiaries would be packaged, while the remaining 32 would receive their packages thereafter.
The packages included small stock, ice cream, music band, hot dog, mattress hire, food catering, textile, popcorn, ice pop and carpentry.
"Today's activity therefore is a demonstration of our commitment as a government to eradicate abject poverty,"
He added that these interventions are intended to facilitate improvement of the livelihoods of beneficiaries, and with support from all stakeholders lead towards graduation from poverty.
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For his part, the SPEDU chief executive officer, Dr Mokubung Mokubung, urged all the departments to ensure that the poverty eradication programme was implemented as planned.
He said SPEDU, as an organisation tasked with facilitating economic projects in Selebi Phikwe and surrounding villages, was doing its best to develop the region.
He urged beneficiaries and policy makers to explore other business avenues and avoid venturing into the same business throughout the region.
Dr Mokubung also warned against individualism and encouraged the beneficiaries to form clusters to enable them to network and advocate for policy development.
He also encouraged them to produce high quality products that can also reach foreign markets.
Furthermore, he urged them to use technology to market their products to enable customers to buy their products online.
The National Poverty Eradication Coordinator, Mr Montshiwa Montshiwa said the programme has so far benefited a total of 37 672 beneficiaries.
He said of the number of businesses set up, 29 515 are operating whilst 5135 businesses are yet to start.
He said the programme had employed a total of 32 985 employees since its inception.
Source : BOPA
