В Габороне открылась первая школа проекта African Hero, построенная частным сектором без затрат бюджета

Gaborone — The inaugural African Hero school, Duma Boko School in Gaborone is a testament to what government can achieve by partnering with the private sector. President Advocate Duma Boko said this during the launch of African Hero and the unveiling of its flagship school and clinic in Block 7, Gaborone on Saturday. "I have heard the question, how much does the government spend on building this school? Nothing!" he said, explaining that all the government had done was make available land that had been idle for years. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines The land had been earmarked for a school but the project was stalled by a lack of government funds. President Boko noted, however that government would provide management for the school and the clinic, including teachers and nurses, medical supplies, pupil admission and other services. He added that those who had borne the financial burden of building the school and the clinic were committed to driving the project forward. He pointed out that Jindal Power had committed to building a school in the Mookane area where it operated, as a way of giving back to the community. He further explained that the African Hero financing model relied on philanthropic funding from partners and supporters, and noted that Mr Naveen Jindal was the first to pledge funding for the initiative. He invited more partners, supporters and philanthropists to come on board and build schools to contribute to community development. "All serious business people and people of integrity are free to join and are welcome," he said. President Boko said the approach was intended to support the development of schools and other essential infrastructure without placing the initial financial burden on government. He noted that after Duma Boko School, more schools and clinics would be delivered across Botswana and the African continent using the same model. He added that African Hero offered practical, adaptable and scalable social infrastructure solutions for Africa, with primary focus on healthcare and education. African Hero founder and South African businessman, Mr Zunaid Moti, said the African Hero model was designed to build schools and clinics in record time. Such an approach, he said, required moving away from the conventional brick-and-mortar method of building schools and health facilities. He added that alongside Duma Boko School, a local factory had been set up to produce materials for schools quickly, for use in Botswana and across Africa. He further said the school model would also be extended to old-age homes, noting that construction was far cheaper than conventional methods. Meanwhile, Mr Jindal said Duma Boko School formed part of their company's contribution to the community in which it operated. He said Jindal Power was developing the multi-billion-pula Mmamabula Energy Project. "We are proud to be part of the local community and to be supporting African Hero," he said. Mr Jindal said the school provided learners with an environment where they could learn and experience technology, while the clinic would bring essential healthcare to communities. He further noted that investing in education is investing in people and in the future of the country, and remarked that the African Hero model should be exported to address challenges in Africa and around the world. The flagship African Hero school, named after its founding chairperson, is designed to accommodate about 380 learners. It consists modern classrooms, a resource centre and a computer laboratory, among other facilities. The clinic incorporates digital healthcare systems, telemedicine capabilities, a pharmacy and child welfare services. African Hero is a Pan-African infrastructure initiative created to help close Africa's education, healthcare and skills infrastructure gap through a delivery-first model designed for speed, accountability and long-term sustainability. BOPA