Africa-Press – Botswana. Plans are underway to extend and refurbish the house of Ms Nkoketsang Monnawatsheko of Disana ward, courtesy of The Simon Phuthego Organization (TSPO).
Ms Monnawatsheko and her daughter, Cecilia lost their forearms in a crocodile attack while harvesting tswii (water lily) in the Thamalakane River in Maun in 2020.
TSPO director, Mr Simon Phuthego, confirmed in an interview that the family needs a decent house to restore their dignity, indicating that their current house is not in a good condition.
Shelter, he said, is a basic human right, which enables one to have a sense of pride, privacy and protect them from harsh conditions.
He said plans to extend their two-roomed house with a kitchen, laundry room and a bathroom are afoot so that they enjoy a healthy home.
In addition, he said, they also want to refurbish their tuck shop and put up a stock so that they make ends meet as their means of survival following the incident has been drastically impacted as they are no longer able to harvest the much relished water lily tubers.
The family earned a living by selling the water lily at the Maun Old Mall.
According to Mr Phuthego, all the logistics such as designs of the project have been completed and he has appealed to locals and the business community to assist in kind to ensure that the project becomes a success.
He noted that having access to safer, good quality housing could have a positive impact on a person’s health and wellbeing.
“Batswana are known to be a sympathetic nation that lent one another support in times of need and I believe we all share the same perception that a safe home is the cornerstone on which individuals and families build a better quality of life and gain greater independence,” he said.
Initially, he said, his organization wanted to help provide the duo with artificial limbs but financial constraints hindered their efforts as both needed more than P300,000.
Providing prosthetic arms, he said, was quite expensive but promised that they would continue to raise funds to ensure the victims are assisted so that they regain hope, independence and opportunities to live happier and more fulfilling lives.
Meanwhile, the organization raises funds through the Kanvango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation (KAZA) Co-existence Charity walks with an aim to assist victims of the human-wildlife conflict.
The organization also promotes conversation and raises awareness about the KAZA, a four-country conservation initiative in Southern Africa.
Mr Phuthego noted that issues of human-wildlife conflict are a serious concern in the KAZA region, a conservation block covering Botswana, Angola, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe in the wildlife rich areas.
He said preparations for this year’s charity walk are ongoing but he could not disclose the date.
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