The Alexander Forbes Beneficiary Fund (AFBF) has called for greater awareness of beneficiary protection and legacy planning. The Fund has warned that growing economic pressures make long-term financial planning and social protection increasingly important for families across Botswana.
The call was made during a media engagement session on Wednesday, where the Fund highlighted its role in protecting children and other vulnerable dependants when a fund member dies.
As Botswana’s largest beneficiary fund, the AFBF provides a structured mechanism through which members’ benefits are professionally administered and preserved for beneficiaries.
The Fund said its role extends beyond financial administration to protecting the dignity, welfare and future opportunities of vulnerable dependants.
AFBF Board Chairperson Mokgadi Nteta said institutions, trustees, financial professionals and the media all have an important role to play in helping Batswana build sustainable futures.
She said Botswana’s current economic environment makes financial resilience, long-term planning and intergenerational security increasingly important.
“In Setswana culture, legacy has always been deeply important. Our forebears understood the importance of creating a better future for those who come after them, whether through education, values, opportunities, land, or other forms of inheritance,” Nteta said.
She said the Fund’s educational campaign, themed “Your Legacy, Their Future – Seriti le Boleng,” draws on Setswana values of dignity, worth and responsibility towards future generations.
According to the Fund, the campaign seeks to encourage people to consider not only what they accumulate during their lifetime, but also how their financial decisions affect those who depend on them.
Principal Officer Paul Masie said beneficiary funds form an important part of Botswana’s broader social protection system by ensuring that benefits set aside for beneficiaries continue to provide support after the loss of a breadwinner.
Principal Officer Paul Masie said beneficiary funds form an important part of Botswana’s broader social protection system by ensuring that benefits set aside for beneficiaries continue to provide support after the loss of a breadwinner.
“As a country, we have to think beyond the present when considering social protection and the wellbeing of our citizens,” Masie said.
He said the Fund’s structured financial support and professional oversight could help reduce vulnerabilities that might otherwise put additional pressure on extended families, communities and public support systems.
The AFBF said its mandate is centred on ensuring that beneficiaries receive the support to which they are entitled, while members’ wishes are respected and the interests of vulnerable beneficiaries remain at the centre of decision-making.
The Fund said its work is ultimately about people rather than administration or compliance alone, particularly protecting children’s futures, ensuring educational opportunities are not interrupted and providing continuity for families following the death of a member.
The Fund also emphasised the importance of the media in advancing financial education. Nteta said media organisations have the ability to translate complex financial matters into practical information that ordinary citizens can understand and apply.
Masie similarly called for stronger collaboration between institutions and the media to educate Batswana about beneficiary protection, financial planning, estate planning and legacy-building.
The Fund said it intends to work with employers, trustees, policymakers and other industry stakeholders to strengthen financial literacy and beneficiary protection across Botswana.
