Francistown Organisation Helps Street Kids
allAfrica.com: Botswana: Francistown Organisation Helps Street Kids
The Voice (Francistown) October 10, 2006
Posted to the web October 10, 2006
Innocent Tshukudu
The future looks bright for street children in Francistown and surrounding areas, following efforts by Free Environment for Street Kids (FESK) to improve their living conditions. The Francistown based FESK aims to provide a conducive environment for children living on the streets by taking them away from their often dangerous lifestyle and providing them with their basic needs and wants.
The admirable charity organisation started off in 2002 with a mission to alleviate the condition of the children by providing food, shelter and entertainment. FESK according to Board Chairman, Molefhe Madikwe is still in its early stages and has not yet developed any strategic plan.
Madikwe who is also the SOS Children’s Village Director in Francistown said FESK was operating from SOS as they did not have an office of their own. "FESK was registered as a trust in August 2003 and relies on volunteers, who form a committee that seeks to lay the ground work for the full operation of the trust."
Although the organisation is still relatively young, it prides itself with having successfully helped six children to return to school and some of them have since proceeded to secondary schools.
Last year the Thapama Admiral Casino donated P120 000 towards the FESK cause and the organisation has since acquired two hectres in Mathangwane village. Hostels that comprise of an ablution block and a refectory have already been constructed at the plot that is situated near the village cemetery.
The organisation has got only three active volunteers and they have appealed to motivated members of the public to join the organisation on a voluntary basis. Interested volunteers should contact the Board Chairman at the SOS Children’s village in Francistown.
