First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) Foundation has invested over P3 million in the renovation and upgrading of the Tawana Park, now renamed First Park, situated in Broadhurst. The park was officially opened last Friday by FNBB Chief Executive Officer, Steven Bogatsu and it is now open for use by the public for recreational purposes.
FNBB got into a partnership with the Gaborone City Council (GCC) in 2011 and signed a Memorandum of Agreement the following year in their pursuit to uplift the face of the park. First Park was initially identified by FNBB staff in 2010 as part of their staff projects but the bank later took over the initiative, a move that led to the injection of significant amount of funds into the project.
The facility has park gardens, playgrounds, beach soccer pitch, netball, volleyball and basketball pitch and an administration block. “This infrastructure will give Batswana additional facilities for recreational activities. We believe it will address the need for places where the youth and children and their families can relax and take full advantage of the facilities to make it their place of entertainment.” said FNBB Marketing & Communications Director, Bomolemo Selaledi.
She said FNBB Foundation is the Bank’s corporate social responsibility arm that contributes to the communities within which the Bank operates, and First Park is one of the examples that FNBB is committed to enhancing the lives of the communities.
FNBB Foundation Trustee, Regina Sikalesele-Vaka said the fun park “is a beautiful haven for our children and even for you needing peace of mind, this is a place where children can come to after school, or adults can take a book and read on the lawn under a shade.” She said the Bank contributes up to 1 per cent of its profits after tax to the Foundation annually.
“The FNBB Foundation is today one of the biggest corporate donors and a leader in Corporate Social Responsibility in the financial services sector. To date, the FNB Foundation has invested more than P32 million in various projects, enriching and uplifting the lives of many people across the country,” Sikalesele-Vaka said.
GCC Town Clerk, Mpho Mathe said having lured the Diamond Trading Company (DTC) from London to Gaborone, the facilities in the city have to be comparable to those in other cities. “We have for many years been lobbying for a cut in the downstream ripple effects of our diamonds and convinced the diamond market to relocate the DTC to Gaborone. This comes with a responsibility of making Gaborone as developed and livable as the diamond cities of the first world,” he said.