BIHL Trust sees paediatric “Boxes of Love” effort

GABORONE – Friday 29th November 2013 saw 40 members of the BIHL team spend time at the Princess Marina Hospital paediatric wing for the BIHL Trust “Boxes of Love campaign.” Living true to the Trust’s dedication towards uplifting young children, each staff member “adopted” a child for the day and was tasked with putting together a ”Box of Love” containing an assortment of gifts deemed to be perfect  for their child.  Over 110 “Boxes of Love” were shared with 110 children from the paediatric ward.

“A dedication towards initiatives for supporting and uplifting young children has always been an area of focus for BIHL Trust, and we felt this would be an incredible way to end our efforts for the year 2013. While many enjoy the festive atmosphere that comes with the anticipation of Christmas, those in the paediatric ward aren’t able to enjoy the comfort of their families at home,” commented Tebogo Keepetsoe, Public Relations and Communications Manager at BIHL Group.

Princess Marina Hospital paediatric ward is comprised of both the surgical and medical wards, with patients from across all age groups. The Boxes of Love campaign saw each member of the BIHL team paired with a child whom they gathered information about prior to the day. A customised “Box of Love” was then curated, including toys and trinkets deemed perfect for the particular child, both gender and age appropriate. The 40 members of staff gifted 40 boxes, inclusive of gifts, of their own accord, with BIHL sponsoring the remaining boxes and gifts. Staff from BIHL set aside time from regular working hours to spend time with the children, share the gifts & a meal and enjoy the festive atmosphere within the ward.

Concluded Keepetsoe, “The ward staff make every effort to ensure the kids are well taken care of and to add some sense of holiday spirit. As a team, we wanted to support that effort and play an active part in working to bring a smile to the faces of the kids. We’re especially proud of the fact that this was a staff driven initiative, with each staff member contributing to the purchase and development of their Boxes of Love.  It is but one effort in the greater work the Trust aims to do, and yet such an incredibly rewarding one once you see the joy on the faces of the kids within the ward.”

BIHL Trust, established in 2007, aims to pioneer and support development initiatives across Botswana for Batswana. The Trust’s areas of interest include: poverty alleviation; economic empowerment projects; development of human resources through education and training; social welfare services, including youth development; public health; public recreation including sports; rural development and conservation of the environment.