The Okavango Kopano Mokoro Community Trust is set to celebrate a Silver Jubilee as they commemorate their 25 years of existence. The celebrations are scheduled to be held on 30th June at Boro 2.
OKMCT oversees villages within NG32 area, which include Boro, Xaxaba, Daonara Quoxao and is said to have been in existence since 1997.
According to OKMCT Board Chairman Seikaneng Moepedi the silver jubilee will be headlined by traditional song and dance to celebrate their milestone.
“ They will be former OKMCT board members who were there when it all started to tell us the story of where we came from to get where we are today and of course a lot of song and dance to express our happiness and gratitude,” Said Moeepedi adding that the event will also be their way of thanking the government for having come up with community based natural resources management, which empowered local communities to manage natural resources within their vicinity.
Moepedi noted that they pride themselves that they managed to avail clean water for consumption through standpipes across all their villages.
“ We help local communities to find jobs, we take some to school both locally and internationally while we build houses for needy members of our community as a way of empowering them. These are some of the things that we will be celebrating” said Moepedi.
To Mark their celebrations OKMC will also be launching a cultural event dubbed Tapyowa NG32 Experience which intends to expose Batswana to the Okavango Delta Using Mokoro.
“ Tapyowa is a Wayei word which means Keneilwe in Setswana or I have been Gifted. We have given it that name to celebrate OKMCT, which has been given to us by the government, ” explained Moepedi.
Similarly Tapyowa will be dominated by local traditional song and dance, traditional games but most importantly Mokoro activities.
“ We will be having Mokoro races in 100m, 200m,400m,800m and mixed relay for all the races . All activities like tug of war and volleyball will also be played on the Mokoro as a way of exposing Batswana to life on the water” noted Moipei.
The Board Chair also went on to highlight that as part of their silver jubilee ceremonies they will be officially opening their office building and ground breaking for their shopping complex which is commissioned to be built just across the road from their offices.