Rustenburg- Bokone Bophirima is the third province after Kwa-Zulu Natal and Limpopo to benefit from the German Development Bank funding initiative, MEC for Social Development Fenny Gaolaolwe said on Tuesday.

“The German Development Bank has set aside R35 million for the establishment of six community care centres for orphans, vulnerable children across the four districts. After many negotiations and rigorous technical assessment processes, the partnership between the German Development Bank and the Department of Social Development is finally yielding much anticipated results,” Gaolaolwe said.

Earlier this year, Gaolaolwe said team comprised of a project coordinator, social service point managers and the departmental management team had already concluded an organizational capacity assessment that would determine the state of readiness of the centres to implement the programme.

“These organizations include Ikitsing home based care at Rustenburg service point, Ikageng Basha at Moses Kotane service point, Tshireletsego care and support at Ventersdorp service point, St Abram orphanage centre at Mamusa service point and lastly Malebogo home based care at Taung service point,” she said, adding that she had appointed additional social workers and auxiliary workers to provide comprehensive social services to community care centres.

The news about a multi-million fund from the German Development bank brought a sigh of relief to Deborah Mosito, the founder of Ikitsing home based care at Lethabong outside Rustenburg.

Mosito said she established a small centre in 2004 to address the plight of orphans and vulnerable children at Lethabong.

“Since these years we have struggled to get funding. We are grateful that our organization will also benefit from the German bank donations,” Mosito said.

Ealier, German development bank representative Busso Von Alvensleben said that Lethabong village is one of the beneficiaries of the community care centres.

“We have, since 1994, focused on HIV-Aids prevention programmes. This funding is generated from the German taxpayers to make a difference in distressed communities,” Von Alvensleben said.

The construction of the centres will start soon in the identified service points.