Israel donates state-of-the-art agricultural equipment to Gaborone’s Sisters of Calvary

From the Government of Israel, the Sisters of Calvary of the Gaborone Diocese have received state-of-the-art drip irrigation equipment that will enable them to provide low cost fruits and vegetables to the poor and sick.

Speaking at the handover of the Israeli designed and manufactured agricultural equipment on Monday, Gershon Kedar, the Ambassador at the Embassy of Israel said his government is proud to assist projects that enrich communities.

The Garden and Orchard Project which received the Israeli equipment was conceived over a decade ago by an Order of Nuns under the Diocese of Gaborone. The Sisters of Calvary wanted to grow fruit and vegetables and sell it at low cost to the poor and those living with HIV/AIDS in communities near them. The other objective of their self-sustaining and income generating project was to create employment through commercial table-grape production, the profits of which support their other social welfare projects.

Kedar commended the Sisters of Calvary for seeing the needs of the impoverished in their community, and for consequently initiating a unique agricultural solution that is alleviating suffering in the community.

The drip irrigation equipment donated by Israel was channelled through the Rotary Club of Gaborone, an organisation which has been intrinsically involved as a supporting partner in the Sisters of Calvary’s garden project since 2007. Since inception, Rotary managed the acquisition and installation of the irrigation upgrade.

Bill McLellan, President of the Rotary Club of Gaborone when airing his remarks said as a club, they have seen the transformation from what was a small garden project, to what is now a substantial undertaking of 2.2 hectares of irrigated vineyards, which are now all under agricultural grade shade netting.

Rotary is one of the world’s largest charity organisations, with over 1.2 million members in 32,000 clubs, located in 166 countries around the world.

In closing, Sr. Bontle of the Sisters of Calvary, who has overseen the Orchard and Garden Project since its inception thanked the government of Israel for its compassion and generous donation to the project. The donation, she said will see to it that they continue to assist the less fortunate.

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