02 Sep 2024

First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) has donated a refurbished library and computer laboratory, including 15 laptops worth over P300 000, to the Children’s Library in Gaborone on Thursday to cultivate a reading culture, . 

Deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, Mr Tebogo Matebesi said the donation would cultivate a reading culture among children, improve their literacy and aid them to apply themselves in any field of study. 

He said children learned better by seeing and touching as well as relating to the environment around them. 

“We believe that the refurbished library will act as a conducive environment, facilitating lifelong learning and most importantly attracting them to use the library,” he said.

Mr Matebesi also said the donation of ICT gardets was in line with His Excellency, President Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi’s digitalisation drive. 

He added that the 5th Industrial Revolution required the use of Artificial Intelligence, robotics and the Internet. 

Ms Atang Mbikiwa, an official at FNBB said they hoped the library would motivate children to read and deter them from negative behaviour. 

She applauded the retail department of the bank for their programme of making reading fashionable. 

Ms Mbikiwa further said the donation would also benefit adult learners. 

She also said her bank donated one per cent of their after-tax profits towards empowering communities every year. 

Furthermore, she said to cultivate the spirit of volunteerism and philanthropy among bank employees, the FNBB Foundation allocated a minimum of P75 000 to branches and business units on an annual basis. 

She said this is done so that they partner with communities in meaningful ways through  staff volunteer programme, and that the foundation had invested P75 million since inception in communities around the country. Ends