Botswana: The Commissioner of Botswana Police Service Dinah Marathe donated P100 000.00 to the Masiela Trust Fund. The donation was done on Saturday Morning in Gaborone with several members of the Police Service in attendance.
The Commissioner participated at the Trust Fund Walk as the Chief Walker. She said children are vulnerable beings that need protection and the goodwill of adults to grow into a healthy generation of tomorrow.
The Commissioner said BPS is geared towards the realisation of Vision 2036 Pillar 2 of Human and Social Development. The officials have shared that the programme calls for a safe and enabling environment for children to grow to reach their full potential.
Marathe emphasised that BPS prioritise dealing with the Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases in the nation. The organization has since established Gender and Child Protection Branch (GCPB).
This is augmented by the setting up of Police Child Friendly Centres for effective response. The branch were handling, investigations and possible prosecution of perpetrators of GBV related matters.
She said this initiative aligns with the global commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The Commissioner highlighted that the most common crimes that affect children include drug abuse, cybercrime and defilement which she said perpetrators were both relatives and strangers.
Marathe asked the members of the community to take up a collective approach towards addressing children’s welfare and protection issues. In addition, she promised that BPS will continue to invest meaningfully in community partnerships.
She urged them to collaborate and build external capacity on issues affecting children. The Commissioner said she believed the donation will go a long way in assisting the organisation to deliver on its mandate.
At the end of the event, the Commissioner advocated for a One-Stop Service Centre. The center will cater to all services related to children will be housed under one roof for efficient service delivery.
In the process, the Commissioner pledged that BPS will heed to the Voice of the Customer for relevance. The Director of Masiela Trust Fund, Magogodi Dabutha appreciated BPS for its unwavering support in ensuring that children’s rights are upheld.
She said the MTF was established in 2001 with the mandate of providing care and support to vulnerable children including orphans. The Director thanked the BPS for the notable gesture of donating to her organisation.
This years’ event was held under the theme “Ending Violence Against Children.”