Africa-Press – Botswana. Village Development Committees (VDCs) have been encouraged to reinvent their business model in order to stay profitable and gain a competitive edge.
The advice was given by African Mining Services (AMS) commercial manager Ms Sesolo Robert during a sponsored walk aimed at raising funds for renovating six VDC houses in Goo-Sekgweng on Saturday.
“We have seen over the years our various councils establishing houses in the villages in order to curb accommodation challenges. To date the main responsibility is upon our committees to ensure that they are up to standard and in a habitable condition which we will all agree that most of them are still not up to the modern standard,” said Ms Robert.
Noting that VDCs, charged with the responsibility of being primary accommodation providers to public servants serving in villages, she welcomed the paradigm shift which had enabled the entities to solicit donor assistance.
VDCs were now able to develop strategic and annual plans for their communities, she said.
Ms Robert thus applauded the Goo-Sekgweng VDC for coming up with a number of income generating initiatives among them a brick moulding project established in 2021.
Through the project as well as the walk, the committee was steering the ship in the right direction, she stated.
Ms Robert said once the houses were renovated and occupied, the VDC’s monthly rental income would increase from the current total averaging P4 800 per month.
That would enhance the committee’s financial position and boost developments in the village, she said.
About her company, she said it was part of the Perenti Group, Australia’s second largest integrated mining services provider and one of the largest contract mining companies in Africa.
The company, boasting mature support networks in Africa, Australia and Europe, has been contracted by Sandfire at Motheo Copper Mine near Ghanzi.
AMS donated P5 000 to the VDC while the area MP also Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Mr Sethabelo Modukanele gave the committee a P3 000 boost.
He thanked AMS for joining hands with government to improve livelihoods and commended the company for heeding the call to support Goo-Sekgweng VDC in its efforts to develop the village.
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