The Botswana Defence Force (BDF) this week demonstrated humanity by donating to one of their own who was handicapped from the Somali peace keeping mission back in 1993.
The ex-soldier, Jacobus Matthys, formed part of the gallant forces who responded to the national call to defend the country’s national interests and its international obligations to global peace in Somalia.
Matthys was discharged from the army on medical grounds in 2005 and went back to live in his home village of Struizendum, prompting his colleagues to do something about his living conditions.
According to the BDF commander , Placid Segokgo, Matthys was part of those who answered the call to protect the international human rights and the vulnerable in Somalia within the ambit of a peace keeping operation called unosom or the united nation mission in Somalia.
THANKFUL: Matthys
“He was one of those brave men, who left his loved ones and responded to the national call, to be our ambassador in our national quest to restore peace among Somalis and the peaceful co-existence of Somalia and her international neighbours and the world at large. Matthys served diligently in this mission, and due to circumstances beyond his control, he fell victim of an unfortunate injury that left him handicapped,” Segokgo said.
He received a donated house from his colleagues to the tune of P380, 000. 000.
“Beyond the contributions there were material contributions of furniture from Ray morgan agency, bradlows furnitures, Lieutenant Mbulawa and a contribution of decorating trees from Lance Corporal Sephiri., all of which have played a pivotal role in the success we see here today,” the BDF commander said.
The BDF has over the years carried out a number of charitable initiatives that include monetary and equipment donations; as well as building houses, Day Care Centres, gymnasiums, libraries and many others.
Recent charitable initiatives worth mentioning include amongst others, The Halfway Home facility that was donated to the Mogoditshane/Thamaga Sub-District Council in 2018. Most notably the BDF donated P10 million cash to the COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund in 2020 just to mention but a few.
