16 Mar 2015

Stringent monitoring and mentoring of poverty eradication projects is critical in ensuring projects sustainability.

Commenting during the Hukuntsi Sub-district development committee meeting in Hukuntsi recently, the district deputy commissioner, Mr Patson Dibotelo pleaded with committee members to ensure that poverty eradication beneficiaries were mentored for the success of their projects. 

He noted that a lot of beneficiaries were illiterate and needed intense mentorship on how to operate their project to sustain themselves.  He said it had surfaced that there was lack of commitment from some beneficiaries, which resulted in the collapse of their projects. 

As policy implementers, he said government officials needed to encourage beneficiaries to refrain from neglecting their projects. 

The government, he said, was committed to eradicating abject poverty. “Some beneficiaries leave their projects unattended for easy income generating means, something that calls for intervention from government officials to motivate the beneficiaries on the essence of project management,” he said.

He further said the success of the projects depended on a good rapport between the beneficiaries and government officials. He further said it was important for beneficiaries to be encouraged to establish sustainable markets for their products.

Meanwhile, an official from the Department of Social and Community Development, Ms Gaolape Thema said the department monitors 51 alternative package projects with 66 beneficiaries which include 10 fashion design projects, 15 food catering projects, 11 bakery projects, one ice cream and two hot dog projects in the sub district.

She said out of the 51 implemented projects, 31 were operational, 13 were not yet completed, five were non-operational and two have failed. ENDS