Africa-Press – Botswana. The private sector has been applauded for their contribution in the fight against HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Welcoming HOPE Worldwide Botswana (HwwB) in Ramotswa Wednesday, deputy paramount chief of Balete Kgosi Tsimane Mokgosi called for concerted efforts in the fight against the pandemic which had over the years reversed the country’s development efforts.
HwwB is setting up an office in the South East District to implement holistic, evidence-based programs to empower vulnerable children, their families, and communities to mitigate HIV and AIDS-related challenges, gender inequalities, and poverty. It has already started operations in Kweneng East and Kgalagadi South communities, as well as in Kanye and Gaborone.
HwwB senior technical officer, Ms Maipelo Tlale said the organisation started in Botswana in the year 1996 as a benevolence wing for Botswana International Church of Christ.
“The organisation was registered in 1999. It was formed as an act to help address existing human issues. Through the help of USAID we were able to offer services to Batswana. HOPE offers Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), Youth Support Group, Comprehensive Care and DREAMS Services,” she said.
She said apart from USAID, HOPE was in partnership with other stakeholders such as social workers, churches, police, and government health facilities where they did referrals for their clients in need of medical attention.
Ms Tlale said one of their mandate as an organisation was to reach global epidemic control by 2030 that is 95 percent of Batswana should be aware of their HIV status, the 95 percent whom were aware of their status if positive should enroll for ARV treatment and the last 95 percent enrolled for ARV therapy should have their viral load suppressed.
She said to facilitate its services, the organisation was more focused on the OVC program catering for children aged 0-17 living with HIV or children who were exposed to chances of being infected by HIV and DREAMS program was meant for young girls aged 9- 24 and other programs that were economic strengthening based.
She noted that though most of their programs were girl child friendly they had one programme called Coaching Boys Into Men (CBM) that was more focused in grooming the boy child.
Giving an overview on the results and achievements on the last quarter which is October to December 2022 as an organisation, HOPE senior programme officer Ms Akanyang Ramakola indicated that that their services were doing well.
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