CEDA BOARD RETREAT TO CHOBE

The CEDA Board and Executive Management Team recently held their Annual Board Retreat in Kasane, Mowana Safari Lodge from the 12th -15th October 2017. The purpose of the retreat was for CEDA Executive Management and the Board of Directors to create a platform and dialogue on CEDA’s performance on the 2015/2018 Strategy, also get an appreciation of CEDA financed projects in the Chobe Region and lastly meet and greet clients whilst also learning from their challenges and successes.

Whilst on their retreat the Board and Executive Management team visited projects in the Pandamatenga Area namely Wild Track Safari Eco-Lodge owned by Mrs. Tracy Mulder. Wild Track Safari is an Eco-Lodge, which prides itself on using strictly natural resources, it has also recently been graded a 3 Star Eco-Lodge by the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO). The project is the birth child of Mrs Mulder who for 10 years always had a dream of opening up an environmentally friendly lodge. Through the assistance of the CEDA Francistown and Kasane branches her dream of opening up Wild Track Safari’s was realised.

Also in Pandamatenga the Board and Executive Management Team visited Mabina Farms owned by Mr. Willem Jacobus Vos. Mr. Vos is a long standing CEDA Customer financed for Dry Land Farming. The Board met Mr. Vos on his farm to also appreciate the current challenges farmers face with erratic weather conditions, cost of insecticides and cash-flow from slow paying customers after delivery.

Lastly the Board visited a mall project which is currently under construction and owned by Mrs. Cecilia Mlazie in the Kazungula area. Upon Construction the Mall shall be opened early 2018.

KAZUNGULA BRIDGE DEVELOPMENT
The Board and Executive Management team were also able to visit the ongoing Kazungula Bridge Development to see how much progress has been made. The Kazungula Bridge Project is important for CEDA as it opens new opportunities for cross-border trading between Botswana and its counterparts.

To conclude the retreat, the Board Members visited the Lesoma Memorial Site. The visit to the Lesoma Memorial was in commemoration of the Botswana Defence Force Soldiers that lost their lives in Lesoma.