26 Aug 2014

Gakuto, a small village in the Kweneng District, not very far from Gaborone, is gradually making its mark.

Its presence is being felt as far as development is concerned perhaps due to its proximity to the city. The village has taken advantage of government development initiatives to usher in a new lease of life.

New developments are visible and people in the village are optimistic that what they are experiencing could in turn help diversify and create employment opportunities.

Gakuto literally could mean   “a place where people listen”, this could then mean that residents of the village really listen and adhere to anything positive they are told, hence they embrace the government call to utilise government policies to develop themselves. Consequently it was in 2007 when the lives of Gakuto residents in Kweneng East changed for the better.

The village is slowly but surely transforming. It boasts of a primary school, health post, post office and Nteletsa 2 facilities. Although water is not abundant, residents still manage to access some drinking water on a daily basis.

The small village is fortunate to have benefited from the Kitsong Centre initiative. A caravan branded with Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) colours stands majestically near the post office installed with computers and photocopying machines.

This is where residents get printing and photocopying services. In an interview with BOPA recently, Kgosi Abdul Letlamma said since 2007 few developments from the government started trickling in.

He noted that Gakuto is now easily identified because of a number of positive changes unlike in the past when the village was merely a farming land.

A living testimony of the government effort to develop small villages such as Gakuto is the modern kgotla structure. Kgosi Letlamma said recently the government through the Ipelegeng programme has introduced modern kgotla structures (maobo) which he said gave villages like Gakuto a new admirable look. 

And the kgotla’s prominence dignifies the village, he said.Kgosi Letlamma cannot hide his delight when talking about the village having been connected to the national electricity grid. 

He says residents have already applied for connectivity and he cannot wait to see the day his village is under floodlights after sunset just like other villages in the country.

He pointed out that Gakuto is becoming culturally diverse as many people from other parts of the country have applied for residential and commercial plots in the village. “Traditional structures are also slowly fading away as residents have resorted to building modern structures” he noted.

Normally development trends come with social ills such as crime but Kgosi Letlamma is happy that such ills are minimal in the village. He is thankful to government for merging the two police forces as the presence of police officers in the village has helped a lot to combat crime in the village.

But despite Gakuto edging into modernity, a semblance of the old traditional life is still evident. Donkey carts are common means of transport within and outside the small village, and that kind of lifestyle has made the village a unique place to live in.

Despite the gradual transformation of the village, Kgosi Letlamma nightmare is water shortage.,People have to wake up in the middle of the night to fetch water as it seems it is only available during those wee hours.  In addition, out of eight standpipes available only two are operational.

“Recently Water Utilities Corporation introduced the use of tokens to collect water, with only two standpipes operating in the village people are struggling to access water”, he said.

He pointed out that shortage of transport and unemployment especially among the youth remains a cause for concern.,People only make a leaving through Ipelegeng and poverty eradication programmes and he is thankful to government for that.

Kgosi Letlamma encouraged his subjects especially the youth to utilise government programmes such as LIMID, ISPAAD and YDF. His sentiments are that the programmes have assisted most people especially the youth who are unemployed.

“These initiatives play a major role in empowering the youth. Currently there are some absorbed under the Tirelo Setshaba service. These initiatives would reduce unemployment in the village” he added.

On other issues Kgosi Letlamma said the village has been performing exceptionally well on issues of cleanliness, scooping trophies in environmental assessment competitions.

All in all Kgosi Letlamma is optimistic that there are many good things coming, borrowing a quotation which says it is not the commitment made today that will beat the odds – it’s the way there are followed through tomorrow and the next day and the day after. Ends