Motho Ke Motho Ka Botho

I will be presenting tomorrow to my colleagues in Health Canada on some of my learnings from my year volunteering in Botswana.  I did a trial run with my small work team last week, and am excited to share my experiences with a broader audience. 

There is a saying in Setswana, "Motho Ke Motho Ka Botho" that roughly means "you are what you are because of other people", and I want to acknowledge that I was able to experience all that I did in Botswana because of the people here who allowed me to do so, by granting me a leave and covering my workload.  This is my way of saying, "Look what I was able to learn and achieve because of your support"...and to demonstrate that I did more on my year away than have pool parties and go on safari -- haha !

I will be presenting again next week to the Edmonton Branch of the United Nations Association in Canada, and again in May, to the Health Canada Human Resources Team.  Each presentation gives me a chance to focus on a different angle of my work in Botswana.

I am curious to know what kinds of questions people will have !



You Say Good-Bye...

Some of the friendly faces I will remember from my good-bye pool party.

Nothing quite like outdoor living !  Sigh !

Philip demonstrates adaptability.  I had no bbq tongs, so he used wooden spoons.

Scenes from my last days in Gaborone

36 friends and their families came to my house for a

Sala Sentle / Tsamaya Sentle Farewell Party.   

I hosted it at my house, as I couldn't pass up another opportunity to make use of the

awesome entertaining space (and pool and braai / bbq).  

When will I have this kind of space again ?

I was very touched by the kind words and turn-out.

Also, my house-mate prepared a farewell dinner for me,

and my colleagues at BOCAIP hosted a good-bye office party.

I am so fortunate to have worked, stayed, and played with so many wonderful people. 

We will stay in touch, and hopefully meet again !

My house-mate Anaisa prepares a yummy Portuguese cod and potato dish.

I will miss your sweet smile !

Some of the team at BOCAIP.

The ever gracious Mma Kwape.

Julia prepares drinks for the party.

Thank you for the kind words and gifts.

I Left My Mark on Maun

Last week, I flew to Maun to assist the Ngamiland Council of NGOs (NCONGO) with their Organizational Development Plan.   As an Organizational Development Advisor placed with BOCAIP, I had already been through this exercise once, so was happy to be able to help another organization with theirs.   I knew a couple of the dynamic, young NCONGO staff from Maatla project meetings, and was looking forward to working with them and learning more about their organization.

When it came time to board the plane, the dozen of us waiting in the departure lounge walked towards the Air Botswana plane, only to be redirected to a tiny, 20-seater charter plane run by Kalahari Air.  There was no standing room in the plane, so we had to duck to get to our seats.  I should mention that of the dozen of us, about half were unaccompanied minors.  The pilot crouched down through the aisle to buckle in the kids.  About 10 minutes into the flight, the passenger sitting in the front row reached into a cooler box behind the pilot and passed out cans of Coke and Fanta.  We dipped and turned to skirt past a couple of isolated rain showers, and the kids made the appropriate shrieks and yelps and airplane noises.   That was the most fun I’ve had on a flight in a long time!

I was greeted at the airport by a handsome young man holding a framed sign with the NCONGO logo and my name.  We chatted a little bit as he drove me the few metres to the airport hotel.  He seemed slightly disappointed to learn that I had been in the country for almost a year.  He had been told to pick up an Organizational Development Advisor from Canada. 

I settled into the hotel, which had only been open a few months. The staff was helpful and eager to please, which made it easy to overlook some of the kinks (unfinished fixtures, lamps with no light bulbs, a restaurant with missing menu items).  The bed was comfortable, the air conditioning and wireless internet worked, and I got my cable tv fix.  I was happy.

The next morning I met with the Director, and we agreed on a participatory approach for getting the plan done.  He assembled the staff and we went over the template format.  We then started to populate it by turning priorities previously identified through an organizational capacity assessment into activities with realistic targets, timelines, staff leads, and sources of outside support.  I noted their comments, and then worked for the rest of the day and evening on incorporating their input.  I also added items from their Maatla project workplan and their Strategic Plan for their consideration. 

I was getting a feel for what work must be like for consultants, who have short windows of time to become familiar enough with an organization to make a contribution.  The Director was quite keen to have a finished product at the end of my visit with them, and so was I.

On Day Two, we repeated the cycle of review, discussion, and incorporation of their input.  At the end of the day, I felt I had done as much as I could, so found a taxi driver to take me to one of the riverside lodges. 

We went to a couple of lodges before finding one with space on a sunset cruise.  It was a lovely, peaceful trip down the river, where we stopped to watch and learn about birds, spider webs, termite mounds, trees, and talk to local fishermen and women gathering lily roots.  The guide was full of information.  I would have loved to have asked him more questions, but I was coming down with a splitting headache, muscle aches, and a fever.  The most I could do was smile and nod and utter the odd “Aah” or “Is that so?”.

As I was setting up the meeting room the next morning, I was overcome by a wave of nausea and left a not so pleasant gift in NCONGO's kitchen sink.  I managed to hold it together long enough to review the final changes with the staff and get their consensus on who would do what by when.  At the end of the morning, we had a realistic plan the Director felt he could present to their board for approval.  My work was done!

I still had several hours to kill before my return flight to Gaborone, the only one going that day. After cleaning up the kitchen sink, I had the NCONGO driver drop me off at the lodge where I took my boat ride.  It seemed a pleasant enough place to spend the afternoon.   I ordered a ginger beer to help settle my stomache, but that was just enough to set me off again.  I left the lodge a memento of my visit in their courtyard bathroom, and again in the bushes by the pool.  I just couldn’t get comfortable, and time marched slowly by.  Finally, I decided it was time for a change of scenery.  I called a taxi to take me to the café by the airport.  At the café, I ordered an iced coffee, and promptly left most of it in the washroom.  Not long after, I left the rest in the airport washroom.

I think it is safe to say I left my mark on Maun.  Not only did I leave an organizational development plan for their council of NGOs, but I also left a little piece of myself everywhere I went!

(Post-Script:  I did see a doctor once I returned to Gaborone, and we were able to rule out more exotic illnesses to come up with the medical diagnosis of "tummy bug" and too much heat. I fully recovered after a couple of days of rest and rehydration.)

International AIDS Day, December 1, 2012

I attended the International AIDS Day event in Mogiditshane, outside Gaborone, yesterday. It was a rainy, blustery day, but the crowds, exhibitors, and entertainers showed up in full force.  With a national prevalence rate of 17.6%, it is estimated that 301,807 people are currently living with HIV in Botswana.  Events like this to share information and resources are part of a national awareness and prevention campaign.



Building an HIV Free Generation

Young girl, showing her support

Display at the WUSC booth



Even "Ex Toughmen" want to learn about the benefits of safe male circumcision

The HIV testing caravan behind the BOCAIP tent had a steady line of people wanting to know their status

BOCAIP banner

Pearl, the face of BOCAIP

The links between gender based violence and the spread of HIV are undeniable

Traditional dancers entertain the crowd



The President and other dignitaries show their support

This is Why: Part II

There is a young lady who came to our office a few months ago to volunteer as an intern in our Finance Unit.  I will call her Rose. 

Rose is friendly and flirty and loves to sing.  She is also a hard worker, and one of the first to arrive at the office each morning.  

Recently, BOCAIP was able to bring Rose on staff in a casual position as an Accounts Clerk. 

In the morning devotions, Rose eagerly volunteers to read bible passages and lead the discussion sessions.  When we come to the part for prayer and thanksgiving requests, Rose often gives thanks for having BOCAIP in her life.

You see, Rose has grown up with BOCAIP in her life.

She was orphaned as a young girl, and attended BOCAIP’s teen club* in Molepolole.  It was a place she could call home, where she found guidance and a sense of direction.  She remembers performing in a dance troop for Mma Kwape and the BOCAIP board. 

So, when she had to find a placement for her college internship, she naturally thought of BOCAIP.

The other day, Rose shyly announced that she will graduate from her Finance Program this Friday.

Mma Kwape looked at her, and then to the rest of the staff, and said:

“This is why I still do what I do for BOCAIP.  It is young girls like Rose that keep me doing what I am doing.”

When Rose graduates, her BOCAIP family will be there to cheer her on.

*BOCAIP no longer has funding for a teen program in Molepolole, but continues to provide day care services and home visits for families with orphaned and vulnerable children under 6 years of age.

This is Why: Part I -- Update

Last week, Bonolo and I went to Ramotswa to visit the family I wrote about earlier.   

We stopped by the site of the fire to take photos to show potential donors and builders we hope to mobilize to rebuild the house. 

We visited with the two eldest children and their aunt, to give them the donations we had gathered from staff and contacts.   

They were very grateful to the strangers who had reached out to them, but disappointed that neighbours, colleagues, and the local social services had not yet stepped up to help them. 

The girl said something I won't soon forget: “Vision 2016* isn’t working for us.”  

Charred blankets outside the house.

Vision 2016 isn't seen so clearly through a window of debris.

I hope that will soon change.  

When we were exploring the remains of the house, a neighbour passed by to tell us that a village council (khotla) meeting had been called for the coming weekend to determine a community response to this family’s crisis.   

I have come to learn that in Botswana, when a crisis arises, it is normally expected that the extended family will pitch in. That might explain the slow community response. But what do you do when your extended family is no longer there for you? When we were visiting the family in the uncle's house, the children's aunt showed me a wall of photos of family members who had all recently passed on.  It made me wonder how Botswana, as a nation, carries on in the midst of so much grief...but maybe that is a topic for another post.

As for Vision 2016, I can’t say what will come from the national response to crises like this.  

The government provides material support for orphans and vulnerable children, such as help with school fees, food and clothes, but there is still a gap in the kind of psycho-social support that these kids need -- a gap that civil society organizations, like BOCAIP, are trying to fill. 

*Vision 2016 is Botswana's national development strategy, in commemoration of what will be Botswana's 50th anniverary of independence.  Seven key pillars or goals have been developed to achieve the strategy, including striving to become A Compassionate, Just and Caring Nation:

"By 2016, Botswana will have realized a more equitable income distribution that ensures that the majority of its people participate in economic activities. As a compassionate and caring nation, Batswana will have the poor and underprivileged considered in their daily activities. Poverty will be alleviated. Government, in a smart partnership with the private sector and non-governmental organizations, will provide social security to the elderly, the terminally ill, orphans and people with disabilities. By 2016, Batswana will have access to quality health facilities. Health facilities will be within a reasonable distance. Botswana will be prepared to deal with unexpected epidemics and any natural disasters. There will also be adequate nutrition, quality sanitation and adequate supply of clean drinking water. The spread of Human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) that causes Acquired Immuno-deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), will be stopped. AIDS patients will have access to quality care in health facilities, in their community or workplace. "

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.

What's new at BOCAIP ?

...So glad you asked !

BOCAIP is moving full steam ahead with implementing the Maatla Project.  I went with Mma Kwape and a team of advisors from FHI360, the American NGO coordinating the Maatla Project, on a site visit to the village of Molepolole.  We visited the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) day care centre and the HIV counselling and testing centre to see some of BOCAIP's projects in action.

FHI360 Advisors visit the OVC centre in Molepolole

Taking children home after a day of fun at the day care centre.
 I love this little guy's smile !

Health promotion posters on display at the counselling / testing centre.

Mma Kwape being interviewed at the May 10 launch

BOCAIP also launched a project funded by the South African Development Community (SADC),  through which support is provided via umbrella organization in Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe to develop the organizational capacity of 10 civil society organizations in each country working to address HIV and AIDS.  BOCAIP was selected as the organization to lead this project in Botswana.  I will be working with BOCAIP to ensure links are made, and lessons shared, with partners working on the Maatla Project. The umbrella organizations from Zambia and Zimbabwe, along with BOCAIP, are participating in Train the Trainer sessions this week in Gaborone.

Leave for Change

I mentioned in my previous post that there are two new volunteers in town.  Gulnur and Renee are here for between 3-4 weeks on the WUSC/Uniterra Leave for Change program.  At home, they work for the University of British Columbia (UBC), who helps supplement their travel expenses so they can volunteer during their vacation time. Part of Gulner and Renee's responsibility to UBC is to keep their colleagues informed about their experiences.  Check out Gulnur Birol's UBC blog posts to learn about what she is doing for BOCAIP, the organization for whom I  work.  She is here to evaluate two different models BOCAIP uses for a program to provide psychosocial support to orphans and other vulnerable children and their caregivers (living in situations like Violet's family-- see previous post), to help BOCAIP determine which is the most effective and sustainable of the two models.  Part of her project involves interviewing project staff, clients, and stakeholders in the different communities where the program is run.  I haven't yet had an opportunity to see BOCAIP in action in its different sites, so I am learning vicariously through Gulnur's observations.  I think we both agree that BOCAIP is making a difference in the communities it serves.

The Faces of BOCAIP

I've mentioned BOCAIP a few times, and even shown you the outside of the office building. I thought it was finally time to introduce you to some of my co-workers and explain a bit more about what they do. BOCAIP is the Botswana Christian AIDS Intervention Program, a faith-based organization, established in 1997, that operates programs in 11 centres throughout the country. One of its main programs is HIV counseling and testing. (*see comments for more info about HIV testing.)

On March 24, I sat in on an orientation session for staff from three of BOCAIP's centres who will be providing Provider Initiated Counseling and Testing (PICT). The two lovely ladies on the right work at the national office. Mme Kwepe is the National Coordinator -- a very experienced, dedicated, and inspiring woman. Bonolo, next to her, in the green top, is a Project Officer. The others are supervisors and counselors from some of the centres in outlying communities.

Here is Bonolo, explaining BOCAIP's counseling and testing model.

Bonolo's advice for working through challenges: "Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns. I am thankful that thorns have roses."

Click on the picture to enlarge it. Let me know if you have any questions about the model.

National guidelines for counseling and testing children and adolescents, and encouraging couples to test together.

TB or not TB

Today is World TB Day. This morning, I attended an orientation session organized by BOCAIP for front line HIV testers and counselors. Like HIV, TB is a major health issue in Botswana. Since 1989, Botswana has experienced a 3-fold increase in TB incidence and now has one of the highest rates of TB in the world. The increase has largely been attributed to the country`s HIV epidemic. It is estimated that 60-84% of TB patients in Botswana are currently HIV infected. Part of the role of the HIV testers and counselors is to screen for TB, help clients understand the relationship between TB and HIV, and recommend appropriate follow-up treatment and support.

My journey home: Part I

I've been here one month now, and am starting to establish a bit of a routine. Eace day, I share a taxi with Pallavi and Eva to the Princess Marina Hospital, then I walk about 15 minutes down South Ring Road until I reach a residential area where my office is located. I get to work around 7:30am, then at 4:30pm, head home.

Roxanne asked to follow along on the journey home. So, come on, let's go !

I leave BOCAIP (Botswana Christian AIDS Intervention Program). The BOCAIP office is in a rented house in a little cul-du-sac, with additional office space in trailers, out back. Notice the red sand.

I walk down the road, then turn left, at the house with the zebra wall.

I then wait for a shared taxi at the bus stop (i.e., tree) behind the Methodist Church. Each taxi takes 4 passengers, so often I have to wait a while until there is one with space I can squeeze into. The taxi goes to the main bus/taxi/combi stop at the rail yard.

This is where city life really unfolds.

Everyday Setswana

I picked up a Setswana phrase book yesterday to help boost my vocabulary.  While glancing through it, I came across some useful - and not so useful - phrases.

Let's start with the not so useful ones:

• Go semanthane.  There is snow.  I doubt I will use this phrase during my time here.

• Saka.  Shark.  I won't likely need to shout this out as a warning, on the fringes of the Kalahari desert.

Some phrases that may come in handy, but I hope I will never have to use:

• Phepheng.  Scorpion.  We saw a cousin to the phepheng poking around our gear as we were packing up camp.  Next time, I think I will wear closed-toe shoes when I go camping.

• Noga.  Snake.

• Mokwepa.   Mamba.  I hope I don't have any close encounters with a noga, and especially not a mokwepa.

• Seteisene sa mapodisa.  Police station.

• Motseneledi.  Intruder.  Let's hope I never have to go to the seteisene sa mapodisa to report a motseneledi.  

• The dithibelbogodu (burglar bars) on my windows should deter a potential motseneledi.  I have to admit, it has taken some adjusting to get used to living behind walls, wires, and bars.  I haven't felt threatened in any way, but I guess these precautions are here for a reason.

• I also hope I will never have to go to the seteisene sa mapodisa to report a kotsi ya tsela  (road accident).  Although many expats buy used cars for the excellent resale value, I am not yet ready to venture out on city streets, especially during pharakano e e pitaganeng  (rush hour).  I think I would get frustrated with the kgotlhagano ya pharakano (traffic jams). 

• So far, I have been pretty healthy.  If that changes, then I may need to consult a ngaka (doctor) or, perhaps, even a ngaka ya Setswana (traditional healer).  Fortunately, I was introduced to a very nice ngaka as part of my orientation.

 Some phrases I hope to use very soon:

• Ke rata mnino.  I like music.  I am planning to go to a pontsho e e tselang  (live show) this weekend.

• I would also like to try go thala metsing  (sailing).  Believe it or not, there is a yacht club at the Gaborone Dam. 

Some phrases you may not need to learn in other places:

• Khutsana.  An orphan.

• Dikhutsaneng.  Orphanage.   An 'orphan' is defined by the United Nations as a child who has lost one or both parents. Worldwide, it is estimated that more than 16 million children under 18 have been orphaned by AIDS. Around 14.8 million of these children live in sub-Saharan Africa. In some countries, which are badly affected by the epidemic, a large percentage of all children (for example 16% of children in Zimbabwe and 12% in Botswana and Swaziland), are orphaned due to AIDS.  --  You didn't think I would post another item without including something about my work or Etsi (AIDS), did you ?  BOCAIP offers programs to provide care and support for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, and I will post more about what they do through these programs at another time.

Go sieme ! (Good-bye !)

Snip ! Snip !

Do you know the public health benefits of male circumcision ? Circumcision can reduce the risk of female to male transmission of HIV by up to 60%. About 11% of males between 10-64 have been circumcised in Botswana. A national public health campaign, supported by BOCAIP and other organizations, is geared to encouraging HIV testing and circumcision amongst the adult male population. BOCAIP is setting up clinics at some of its testing and counseling sites so this can be done in a safe, medical environment, and with appropriate counseling to encourage safe sex and relationship behaviors.

I am young enough to be your daughter...

Youth in the village of Thamaga.

What does the girl's t-shirt say ?

"I am young enough to be your daughter; stay away from me !"

This t-shirt was developed by the Botswana Christian AIDS Intervention Programme (BOCAIP), the organization at which I am placed.
BOCAIP saw a need to address the issue of HIV transmission through inter-generational sex, in recognition that the highest rates of new infection occur in young women, between the ages of 25-30, at 8.73%, and men, between the ages of 45-49, at 8.13%.

*  See "comments" for an explanation.