June and July 2010
We were very happy to have our annual visit from students of Riverdale School, USA. This year over 20 students and 3 teachers spent two weeks at the centre, helping to fix/build things and hang out with the kids. During their time here they managed to fix our dilapidated vegetable garden shading, design a new BBL sign, build a climbing wall and make a volleyball court. Volleyball was a totally new concept to the children but they have taken to it well and continue to play most days. The children and students were very sad on their last day, lots of goodbye hugs and promises to keep in touch. We have created a few picture boards of the student’s time here so that the children remember who they all are.

Hard work continues in trying to secure funding for 2011; our 3 year part funding by the European Union expires this November and we must find another donor to replace these funds. It is not an easy task, made harder by the fact that many large international donors were not accepting proposals in 2009/beginning of 2010 due to the economy. Doors have only just started to open now but the process of researching, writing a proposal, submitting and waiting for a decision can take up to 12 months. Finance is always a worry but especially so now as we lose one of our biggest sources of funding.

Our twins Itsing & Tirafalo continue to train for the New York marathon. They will be heading out to New York in November to take part and raise funds for BBL – details soon on how you can sponsor them. Itsing & Tirafalo have been supported by BBL since 2004 when they were orphaned; both have grown in positive young men with a talent for athletics. They have represented Botswana in International Athletic Competitions in Poland, Mauritius and South Africa.

Currently we pay for half of our little ones to attend pre-school and the other half have been kindly sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church to attend. However, from next term the Church no longer has enough money to keep helping the children and so BBL must now try and find additional sponsorship so that we can keep these children in pre-school. If you would consider sponsoring a child to attend please get in touch – banabaletsatsi@yahoo.com it costs about P324 per month (£29/$47).