GABORONE, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Members of the Chinese community in Francistown, Botswana's second largest city, have donated 661,000 pula (about 60,000 U.S. dollars) to the country's COVID-19 relief fund.
"The Chinese community here in Francistown, both companies and individuals from China, organized itself to make whatever contributions affordable, and the fundraising accumulated 661,000 pula," Zhu Steven, spokesperson for the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Francistown, said on Thursday.
Botswana established the COVID-19 relief fund early April to help citizens impacted by the pandemic.
As residents of Botswana, Zhu said, members of the Chinese community share the same sentiment and love of Botswana, hence "our spontaneous response to the call by President (Mokgweetsi) Masisi to donate and deposit funds to the COVID-19 Relief Fund."
The donation will go a long as some Batswana are still struggling, said Godisang Radisigo, mayor of Francistown, which is situated some 430 km northeast of the country's capital, Gaborone.
"This donation will go a long way in assisting those in need of support during these trying times," he said.
Besides donating to the relief fund, Radisigo said, Chinese nationals in Botswana have contributed immensely to winning the war against COVID-19 by following the advice and guidelines of the Chinese embassy in Botswana to voluntarily quarantine at home for 14 days upon returning from China.
Botswana has so far reported 48 confirmed cases, most imported ones, and one death. Enditem
