This is Why: Part I

Sometimes, it doesn't hurt to ask

"Donations requested for Ramotswa family"

This was the subject line of an e-mail message I sent to my network of friends and colleagues. (I have been here long enough now to have a network.)

I am not comfortable requesting donations, but I have come to learn that, sometimes, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Mma Kwape had been approached by a woman with family in Ramotswa who had just lost their home and all their household and personal belongings in a fire.

The family is headed by a young woman in her early-20's, herself, the single mother of a 6-year old boy, who has been looking after her younger brother and sister, in college and high school, respectively, since they became orphaned earlier in the year.

Child-headed families like this are an all too common occurance in Botswana today, where 17 out of every 100 children are orphans.

Their mother succumbed to an AIDS related illness.

She had worked hard, despite her advancing illness, to leave her children the security of a 3 bedroom house. 

Unfortunately, they didn't have insurance. They lost everything, except the clothes on their backs. 

The woman who approached Mma Kwape, the children's aunt, is not able to take them in.  They are temporarily staying with an uncle, but it is not a permanent solution.

The BOCAIP staff decided that we would check our cupboards and closets at home to see if there is anything we can donate to this family.

I decided to extend the call to my broader personal and professional network.

The response was swift and generous.

This morning, a donation came in from WUSC of gently used linens and bedding left behind by past volunteers. 

We also decided to call and write to the managers of the local grocery stores, to see if they have any left-over or near the end of shelf-life stock they can donate.  We have had positive and sympathetic responses, so far.  Mma Kwape has even been in touch with a local bank.

Our next step will be to approach businesses and embassies for support with rebuilding the house.

Sometimes, it doesn't hurt to ask.

This is Why

Upon further discussion with the children's aunt, Mma Kwape realized that they are in need of more than pots and pans, pasta and toothpaste.  They are also in dire need of psycho-social support.

They are dealing with issues of trauma, grief, and guilt (someone left a candle burning).  We also learned that the young girl in high school is HIV positive.  The prevention of mother-to-child transmission programs that are so successful today did not exist when she was born 18 years ago. 

BOCAIP is well positioned to connect this family with counsellors and social workers to help them work through these issues.  Our staff will visit them soon.  They will also make sure the young girl has the medical support she needs, and that the family gets the government services for which they may be eligible. 

Some folks way wonder why I decided to come here.  This is why -- to support civil society organizations like BOCAIP become sustainable, so they can continue to respond to situations like this, impacting families affected by HIV and AIDS.

This is why.