USADF Signs Five Grants to Support Marginalized Populations IN Botswana:

WASHINGTON - June 24, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 24, 2009 – The United States African Development Foundation continued their assistance to marginalized, under-served populations in Africa by signing five grant agreements to benefit community groups in Botswana.  The grants will benefit Huiku Trust, Komku Trust, Mowana Trust, Serule Community Resources Development Trust (SCRDT), and Robelela Youth Poultry Farm (RYP).

Upon reviewing the grants, USADF Vice-Chairman Jack Leslie said, “Funding economic development at the grassroots level is vital to USADF’s work and to the marginalized people of Africa. These grants do just that – funding grassroots cooperatives to help grow and sustain their projects, giving them the means to enhance their quality of life.”

Huiku Trust is a community trust composed of 800 inhabitants that manages local natural resources in Grootlaagte and Qabo Villages, near Ghanzi.  The villages are settlements of the San ethnic group.  Huiku Trust recognizes Botswana’s growing tourism industry and seeks to establish an ecotourism campsite.  The sustainable tourism business will create income generating activities for its members.  The two year, $100,000 grant will fund training, an environmental impact assessment, preparation of a campsite, and the creation of a marketing and business plan.

Komku Trust works with seven San communities in Western Botswana to organize them into cattle groups. Historically a marginalized population, members of each San community individually own their cattle but share grazing and water rights among other members of the groups.  Komku Trust wants to work with the Botswana Meat Commission to provide cattle raised by the San to help meet the company’s quota of beef to the European Union.  However the Trust is limited by its lack of good governance, inadequate financial systems, and insufficient livestock management skills.  The two year, $100,000 grant will fund improvements to financial systems, training, a farm development and livestock management plan, and a five year business plan.

Mowana Trust is a community-based organization that promotes economic development for nearly 860 inhabitants of Mosweu and Mokokwana villages, with emphasis on job creation.  Villagers, who live in a remote area near the Tswapong Hills and have limited employment opportunities, identified horticulture and poultry production as promising development activities.  Mowana Trust faces the need to improve financial systems, develop its management, and learn horticulture and poultry production skills.  The twenty-four month, $98,998 grant will finance capacity building and training in horticulture and poultry production.

SCRDT, located in Bobirwa Sub-district, promotes economic development for the approximately 2600 residents of Serule Village, where few employment opportunities exists, especially for youth.  Members of the community identified poverty reduction as a means to secure income and employment for villagers. SCRDT will work with women to turn local clay into high quality pottery for sale on local and regional markets.  The twenty-four month, $99,187 grant will help make improvements to the financial systems, create a business plan, and make improvements to facilities.

Also located in Bobirwa Sub-district, RYP helps out-of school San youth and unemployed San women by promoting income generation activities.  Village youth identified poultry and egg production as a means to poverty reduction.  Potential buyers exist for the eggs, but RYP lacks the capacity to grow into a viable business.  The twenty-four month, $97,288 grant will fund improvements to facilities, financial systems improvements, and marketing planning.

USADF began programming in Botswana in 1985. Botswana’s current portfolio stands at twenty-one investment projects totaling nearly $3 million. For more information about the portfolio, please visit the country’s quick source page at http://www.adf.gov/-QuickSourceCountryPortfolioPage-Botswana.htm .

The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) is a United States Government agency dedicated to expanding access to economic opportunity in Africa. Currently USADF operates in 20 African nations.  Over the past 25 years, USADF has funded nearly 1,500 projects representing in excess of $150 million in support of African enterprises and local African communities.  For more information on USADF, its programs and application guidelines, visit www.usadf.gov.

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