BIHL Trust Donates New Library

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Monday May 27, 2013 00:00

It is a library facility that could have cost government over a million Pula, but the BIHL Trust delivered the project at a far less cost by engaging the local community to help in the construction and painting, thereby reducing the costs considerably in the process.

With its painted and decorated exterior as well as tiled floor, brand new furniture and over 100 new books for pupils, the completed library facility, now bears the look of an expensively built structure. It used to be a run-down school kitchen infested with bats, with no ceiling, and the floor was a heap of ash, making it unsuitable for a pupils' reading room.

When the BIHL Trust came on board, the spirit of volunteerism in the school and the village was also promoted as volunteers were mobilised to help with the renovation of the old kitchen to turn it into a first-class library to be proud of. The Chwaanyaneng library facility is the second to be donated by the BIHL Trust, after a similar project in Mogobane.

Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development Patrick Masimolole officially opened the Chwaanyaneng facility in the presence of regional education officer, Moagi Phuthego, Borolong kgosi, Kgosi Lotlaamoreng II, and the director of Education Hub, Billy Loet.

Teachers from neighbouring villages also attended the official handover ceremony.It was a colourful event as the BIHL Trust pulled out all the stops to paint the rural school red. And they came in large numbers, too, with staff from the BIHL Lobatse branch also offering support.

According to the BIHL Trust administrator, Tiro Modimoosi, last year the organisation identified education as its major focus area for 2012 and 2013.BIHL Trust together with the Tlou family started a Masters Scholarship in honour of former University of Botswana (UB) Vice Chancellor, the late professor Thomas Tlou. The scholarship is awarded yearly and is tenable at UB.

In keeping with the theme, BIHL Trust looked at other areas within the education sector in which a positive difference can be made. The Adopt-a-School programme was identified with a focus at primary schools, according to Modimoosi. The Trust decided to develop reading centres at various primary schools across the country. The project was piloted at Mogobane Primary School and the feedback was very positive.

'It is against this backdrop that BIHL Trust approved funding seven more primary schools in the 2013 financial year. The intended impact of the project is to enhance learning at primary school level and promote a culture of reading at a young age where pupils are most impressionable,' he said.