Botswana Insurance Fund Management (Bifm) CEO, Tiny Kgatlwane, and 20 members of Bifm journeyed to Metsimotlhabe to lend a hand to Pabalelong Hospice. The effort comes as part of a longstanding reputation of Bifm to assist in local communities through sustainable and hands-on charitable work.
Bifm made a handover of cleaning chemicals and consumables anticipated to last the Hospice well into the next year. In addition, a TV for one of the in-patient rooms was handed over by staff, ensuring that every inpatient room is now equipped with a TV set. Said Kgatlwane, “We are incredibly excited to work with Sister Sunila and the team and Pabalelong Hospice, supporting the amazing and selfless work that they do. The Hospice does not have a standard charge for their services. Rather, the Hospice, request that families of the patients assist the Hospice’s needs by way of basic supplies such as toiletries, cleaning, etc. It is against this background that we made the decision to get involved in this way.”
Pabalelong Hospice was established in 2009, as part of the Catholic Church’s Institute of Charity in the Diocese of Gaborone. The Hospice provides palliative care, love and support to people who are terminally ill, as well as their families, with a firm dedication towards welcoming all irrespective of their particular faith or religion. At present, Pabalelong Hospice has ten beds inpatient units and a team of nine members of staff, along with a visiting doctor. The Hospice, is the only 24 hour care centre in Botswana and is part of the wider network of Hospices in the region, works closely with Princess Marina Hospital for most effective care.
Said Sister Sunila, “We are truly grateful for kind donation from Bifm, and for them taking an interest in the work we do here at Pabalelong Hospice. The work that we do requires the support of corporates and organisations as well as that of individuals, as there are many gaps and funding challenges faced in this space. It is our hope that through continued support such as this, we will have a more sustainable and positive outlook for the Hospice, so that we may continue working to offer a support system and palliative care for those in our community in need.”
Bifm has a strong reputation for CSI and community engagement across Botswana. This comes against a background of the wider dedication of the BIHL Group towards charitable initiatives. 1% of all profits across the BIHL Group are channeled towards CSI work. Through the BIHL Trust, sustainable philanthropic work has been done in such areas as education, health, sport, youth development, and environmental protection.
