…donates food hampers and offers free medical services
Rethabile Pitso
MORE than 100 households along the Maseru-Berea border have benefited from a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative by Khubetsoana Building World (KBW), which provided food hampers and free medical services.
Now in its second year, the initiative yesterday brought a Chinese medical team from Maseru District Hospital to provide basic healthcare services to vulnerable people from selected communities. The beneficiaries were identified in collaboration with local chiefs and headmen.
The communities represented included Naleli, Ha Mabote, Sekamaneng, Khubetsoana and Koalabata, among others.
Speaking to the Sunday Express on the sidelines of the event, KBW Assistant General Manager Motloli Mothepu said the initiative was a way of appreciating the communities that had supported the business over the years.
“Today’s event marks an appreciation we have for the communities that have been supporting us throughout the years. We want to communicate that we value their livelihoods and well-being.
“We regard ourselves as part of their lives because we operate within these communities. We therefore understood that they would appreciate our efforts to bring essential services to their doorstep,” Mr Mothepu said.
He said some of the doctors who participated in the initiative were usually deployed to remote areas, where residents faced difficulties accessing healthcare services.
The medical team conducted basic health checks and administered appropriate medication, while patients requiring further treatment were referred to medical facilities for additional care.
Mr Mothepu said the food hampers contained essential supplies, including 25kg bags of maize meal, 12.5kg bags of bread flour and five litres of cooking oil, among other items.
He said local chiefs and headmen were involved in selecting beneficiaries to ensure that assistance reached the most vulnerable households, including people living with disabilities.
“About 100 representatives from households in Naleli, Khubetsoana, Sekamaneng, Koalabata and neighbouring Ha Mabote are receiving health check-ups and collecting food parcels today.
“This is the second year this initiative has taken place, and we look forward to hosting many more in the years to come,” he said.
Sekamaneng headman, Tsooang Molata, who represented Area Chief Bereng Majara, expressed gratitude on behalf of the beneficiaries. He also urged those who had not been selected not to lose hope.
Mr Molata said the selection process had prioritised the most vulnerable residents, with local leaders instructed to exclude people already receiving old-age pensions on the grounds that the grants constituted a source of income.
“The chief had advised that the most vulnerable members be prioritised during the selection, and we conducted that exercise diligently. We were under strict orders not to register even elderly people receiving old-age pensions, as that constituted a form of income.
“Unfortunately, a few people felt they had been unfairly left out, but they should not be discouraged and should trust the process. I have about two people from my own village whose names were mistakenly left out, but I have already promised to follow up on their cases to get them sorted,” he said.
Meanwhile, beneficiaries welcomed the assistance, saying the food hampers would help ease the financial pressure on their households amid the rising cost of living.
Nteboheleng Montšo of Sekamaneng said the contribution would make a meaningful difference to families struggling to afford basic necessities.
“We are truly grateful and satisfied with this gesture, as most households cannot afford to purchase this amount of essentials every month. We feel truly blessed by KBW,” she said.