THE BIHL TRUST TAKES OVC SUPPORT TO MAUN IN CHAMPIONING INCLUSIVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION

The BIHL Group, through the BIHL Trust, continues to heed the National call to ensure future generations are given equal access opportunity for a strong educational foundation. Building on the successful support for the Maru-a-Pula Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in Gaborone for over a decade to date, the Trust sought the assistance of the Ministry of Basic Education in identifying other schools in which such assistance may work well.  Delta Waters International School was the selected school that had a programme that is similar to that of Maru-a-Pula. With the recommendations made by the BIHL Trust to the school being fulfilled, the Trust is pleased to have handed over P150,000 to Delta Waters International School in Maun on 8 July 2022, channeled towards the Schools OVC programme.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Trustee Professor Rosaleen Nhlekisana, representing the BIHL Trust, said, “This donation is to ensure that children from disadvantaged backgrounds and upbringings are not left behind in their academic pursuits and that they too have an equal chance of embracing the opportunities that academia affords. These are some of the brightest minds who, by access to quality education and academic experiences, will no doubt go on to attain higher education degrees and truly make their mark in the world. It begins now, ensuring inclusion and access to give them a fair and fighting chance, and we are privileged to assist as best as we can from the BIHL Trust.”

Delta Waters International School was established in 1993 and has 850 students enrolled at present, 3 of which are within the OVC category. The P150,000 donated will support their learning and academic experience, from tuition fees to uniforms and other elements core to a positive school experience. This choice to engage for academic support is one of the four focus areas of the BIHL Trust, under “Education.” Other focus areas include Public Health, Conservation of the Environment and Social Upliftment, each working to ensure more targeted and sustainable impact.

Delta Waters International School Principal, Mr. Pearce Khoza said, “We are excited to be receiving this donation on behalf of our OVC programme. This will make a difference in the lives of the students that are from backgrounds that are struggling financially. We believe that all students deserve the right to education and that finances should not be a hindrance. Thank you to the BIHL Trust for believing in this too, and for showing their support.”

The BIHL Trust was established in 2007 with the purpose of sustainably impacting and uplifting communities across Botswana through positive and sustainable development initiatives. The BIHL Group and each of its Subsidiaries, in addition to standalone philanthropic initiatives, channel 1% of all annual profits after tax to the Trust. Since its inception, the Trust has ploughed back over P33 million into communities in Botswana in order to continue engineering legacies.