A Handicapped mother of one Annah Omphile cried tears of joy on Tuesday (April 30, 2024) afternoon when Botswana Police Officially handed her a fully furnished one bedroomed house.
Although she can’t speak properly Annah Omphile expressed her heartfelt joy in just one sentence.
“I am grateful for the beautiful work you have done for me,” that’s all the emotional Annah could say.
Unable to contain her joy Boemo Omphile who is Anna’s aunt and caretaker revealed that Anna’s mom who sadly passed on in 2009 had built a structure in a squatter settlement and the houses were destroyed as they occupied the land illegally.
“Words are not enough to express my gratitude, before I took Annah in with me she stayed with her mother at the squatter settlements whose shacks were destroyed by the council. This house is a great gift and we will take care of it. I thank the police and everyone who landed a helping hand in building this house,” said Boemo.
Giving the project Overview, Acting Divisional Commander North, Mbala Magalila noted that the journey started in 2016 when as part of their corporate social responsibility District No 5 came with an idea of building a house for one of the less privileged individuals in the community.
“In the process we met with social and community development to give us a befitting beneficiary and we were given the name Annah Omphile. We consulted the family who readily welcomed the initiative. We did not have any money at the time we therefore started fundraising and partnered with local stakeholders and members of the community” revealed Magalila.
Realizing that the selected beneficiary did not have a plot of her own. The Police then made a request to Tawana Landboard and she was allocated a plot in Matlapana.
“Considering that Omphile is physically challenged we requested for a plot locally with closer proximity to facilities and our request was granted and she was given this plot (Xhabara) where we are gathered today,” Said Magalila
The newly appointed Botswana Police Commander Dinah Marathe expressed gratitude to be handing over the project.
“Our mandate is to ensure that there is peace and tranquility in the country. This initiative is one of crime fighting strategies. When you give someone a house you restore their dignity, when you restore their dignity you reduce the crimes that would have been perpetrated against them,” said Marathe.
Marathe cautioned that the house should not be sold without the consent of Botswana Police and further thanked all stakeholders who participated in the project noting that there is a blessing in giving more than in receiving.
On behalf of Batawana Chieftaincy Kgosi Leretetse Mogalakwe noted that what the police have done is very commendable as they have restored Omphile’s dignity by giving her a roof over her head.
“Back in the days we knew the police as those bad people who arrested others but things have changed now. We now know that the police officers are humans like us as we can see today they have looked into the community with compassion to help the one who was in need,” noted Mogalakwe.
In addition to the house, Botswana Power Corporation has pledged to buy Omphile Electricity units all through the year while Botswana police has pledged to buy her a new wheelchair.