By Matšeliso Phulane
Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso will be one of the guest walkers at the Desert Bush Walk – Winter 2024.
The event is scheduled for July 27, 2024 in Jwaneng, Botswana.
CSI-Concepts Foundation, in conjunction with The Desert Bush Walk Local Organising Committee (LOC) – Team of Volunteers – are hosting the event.
CSI-Concepts Foundation’s main objective is, among others, to raise funds as well as to support inclusive and sustainable community development projects.
The organisation will be hosting its eighth annual and this year’s event will comprise of 15 km and 30 km walks targeting participation of 4 000 individuals.
According to a statement issued this week by CSI-Concepts Foundation, the Queen will be joined by the vice president of Botswana, Slumber Tsogwane, high-ranking government and non-government officials, and representatives from private and public sectors from both Botswana and Lesotho.
“Hosting Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso is a significant honour for the event. Her participation highlights her commitment to charitable work in both Lesotho and now in Botswana.
“Her visit also strengthens the historic bonds of friendship between Botswana and Lesotho, which are rooted in shared history and values,” the statement said.
Since 2014 ‘The Desert Bush Walk’ has been a resounding success with the support of partners and sponsors.
To date the event has managed to raise over 3 million BWP. These Funds have assisted within numerous districts in Botswana, guided by the mandate of changing the lives of less privileged communities.
Over 40 000 pupils and many communities have benefited from the Desert Bush Walk to date.
The event continues to attract participants from Botswana, and other Southern African countries, East & West Africa, Australia, America, and Germany, among others.
Through the Desert Bush Walk, the foundation also attempts to diversify Botswana’s economy by growing the event and promoting sport tourism.
Furthermore, the benefits of walking/hiking extend to many aspects of health, fitness, and wellness. This year’s theme isStrides for Wellness: Nurturing Mental Health, Building Resilience, and fostering well-being through sport tourism.
CSI-Concepts Foundation assured the hiking community and Batswana at large that they value this opportunity.
Together with their key stakeholders, they promised to do their utmost to provide the Queen and her entourage with Botswana’s renowned hospitality, which reflects the country’s values of warmth, generosity, and community spirit.
The event is set to have some socio-economic benefits to the town of Jwaneng. Suppliers and Service providers are given the opportunity of providing their various services including food vendors, accommodation, campsites, entertainment facilities, refreshments, which are all sourced in Jwaneng. This is seen as a citizen empowerment opportunity. Hotels and lodges are usually fully booked as early as April every year.
The 2023 Walk was held on July 29, 2022 and over 3 700 participants registered.
About BWP 450,000 was raised and donated to 16 beneficiaries throughout Botswana in different sectors including education and community development, youth empowerment, sport movements, social welfare programes, and projects dealing with non-communicable diseases.
