Thanks for showing you care!

Lemohang Rakotsoane

MASERU

THE IBC College celebrated King Letsie III’s birthday by providing blankets, soap and lotions to elderly villagers in Sea Point on Monday.

’Matlotliso Molefi, the college’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) officer, said the IBC saw it imperative to give back to the community that has not only welcomed them in their midst but also provided accommodation to their students.

“It has been four years since we have been residents of Sea Point and the community has treated us with nothing but love and warmth,” Molefi said.

“We have never been made to feel like we are outsiders. Our students are treated well by the families that they stay with, we couldn’t have asked for a better place to be.”

Molefi added that giving back is not only a way of showing gratitude but also a means of strengthening the relationship with the society that they work with.

Molefi said this was not the first time that they are giving back to society as they have realised the vulnerability of the community they live with.

“Three years ago, we gave clothes to everyone whom we had seen to be vulnerable and this year we decided to give blankets to the elderly to keep warm,”Molefi said.

“We decided to extend this gesture in the month of His Majesty’s birthday because we wanted to bring about change to his people, we also wanted to encourage the elderly who unfortunately are highly discriminated lately,” she said.

She said they also teach children their culture “so that we can someday go back to being a peaceful nation we once were”.

She said it is important for the youth to appreciate the elderly and stop abusing them like they are doing lately.

Speaking at the event, Retšelistsoe Tsuinyane from the Ministry of Social Development, applauded the IBC for what they did saying it is because of the elderly that we now have doctors and teachers in society.

It is sad to see the elderly being labelled witches and being abused by those they raised.

“It is surprising that now that they have seen light at the end of the tunnel they call you witches and killers, why didn’t you kill them all this time when you were struggling to feed them or when you were trying to take care of their children whom they had abandoned?” Tsuinyane said.

“Today they kill you for your pension when they are lazy to work and have turned themselves into drug users,” he said.

She encouraged the elderly to exercise and keep their bodies active as that will help their bodies to fight sickness.

Sekhaile Tlali, of the Maseru City Council, said the school has uplifted the area of Sea Point and transformed the place that was associated with crime.

“But today, since the day we had this school, we see development and it is our hope that the school will continue as it is and grow,” Tlali said.

“We have never had any complaints towards you or your students unlike some students from other institutions who have turned themselves into rascals and for this we are grateful,” he said.

One of the beneficiaries, ’Mamarabe Sello Ntšékhe, said it is through the school that they are seeing development in the area adding they realise that the elderly are still being cared for.

“It is rare to see the youth showing appreciation to the elderly these days. All they know is to abuse them,” Ntšekhe said.

“Therefore we are grateful to you for showing that you care,” she said.