Creating economic value from indigenous plant species
In the mid-2000s Letloa Trust developed an interest in the potential of veld products - the sustainable harvesting, processing and trading of indigenous plant products from the Kalahari and other ecosystems - to generate economic opportunities for rural communities.
In 2007
PhytoTrade Africa financed a study for Letloa Trust, focusing on three species: Citrullus lanatus (Kalahari melon), Ximenia caffra (large sourplum) and Ximenia americana (small sourplum). The study was conducted by the late Frank Taylor of Wildfoods Ltd.
A report on this study was prepared in 2008 entitled:
The assessment of business opportunities for commercial harvesting, propagation, processing and exportation of Kalahari melon (Citrullus lanatus), and large sourplum (Ximenia caffra), and small sourplum (Ximenia americana) oil in the Okavango sub-district and Gantsi district.
After some years of interest and review of these opportunities, Letloa Trust decided in 2022 to embrace the potential of the veld products sector (see news).
Community-based natural resource management (CBRM), land and cultural resources
Letloa Trust supports indigenous San communities in northwest and western Botswana with sustainable development through community-based natural resource management (CBRM), land and cultural resource mapping, and combatting the impacts of climate change.
Its biggest project involved environmental education and awareness raising about sustainable use of natural resources in the context of climate change.
Community health program focusing on HIV/AIDS health services
Letloa Trust provides community health services in Ghanzi Districts. It aims to improve equitable and quality access to healthcare through advocacy, communication and social mobilization for better health outcomes in remote areas of Botswana.
It maintains a strong social movement for positive health motivation in hard-to-reach locations in Ghanzi East and Charleshill sub districts.
Since 2014, Letloa Trust has been providing health education to empower individuals and families with knowledge, facilitating contact tracing and treatment for TB cases, and collecting sputum from TB patients for investigation and to improve on treatment success.
Letloa integrates HIV and TB services to improve linkages between anti-retroviral and TB treatments, and it helps to move clients to the care they need.
Covid-19
With funding from
FHI 360 EPIC, Letloa Trust implemented a Covid-19 project in five health facilities in Ghanzi East sub district, covering the Kuru Health Zone that includes Ghanzi Township (SHAA, Morama and Ghanzi Clinics) and surrounding villages (D’Kar and Kuke).
Operating with ten community health workers, Letloa Trust reached 3,690 individuals aged between five and 60 with Covid-19-related related messages.
Letloa Trust projects and donors
| Project |
Donors |
Amount (BWP) |
Dates |
Status |
| Public education on responsible drinking and the dangers of alcohol abuse |
Alcohol Levy Fund |
BWP 288,202 |
|
Completed |
| Community-based early childhood development intervention to mitigate child malnutrition in Ghanzi district |
UNICEF |
BWP 910,989 |
Oct 2018 - Dec 2019 |
Completed |
| Towards educated and environmentally conscious rural communities |
National Environment Fund (NEF) |
BWP 830,150 |
Aug 2018 - Dec 2019 |
Completed |
| Accelerating progress in communities |
FHI360-USAID |
BWP 2,961,079 |
Apr 2019 - Sept 2020 |
Completed |
| Accelerating progress in communities - HIV/TB & Covid-19 |
FHI360-USAID |
BWP 1,395,713 |
Oct 2020 - Sept 2021 |
Completed |
| Meeting targets and maintaining epidemic control - HIV/TB and Covid-19 |
FHI360-USAID |
BWP 2,124,372 |
Nov 2021 - Sep 2022 |
Current |