Africa-Press – Botswana. Stakeholders have been compelled to take a more resolute stance in the fight against drugs, Gender Based Violence (GBV) and the spread of HIV.
Briefing the media on July 31 in Gaborone, the project manager of City to City Campaign against drugs, GBV and HIV/AIDS, Mr Kaone Ramontshonyana said their prevention campaign, a collaborative exercise by different stakeholders and organizations would be carried out in three phases.
The phases, he said, would cover the endurance horse riding from Francistown to Gaborone, strongman tow truck pulling challenge from Mochudi to Gaborone and a week-long camping activity called Tents in the City in Gaborone.
Mr Ramontshonyana said there would be stop-overs in main villages along the AI road, where kgotla meetings with health expositions would be set up to disseminate information on substance use disorders, GBV, HIV/AIDS as well as provide on the spot health care screening for attendants.
As for the Tents in the City activity, Mr Ramontshonyana said it would comprise staying in a tent at Gaborone new CBD for a week, with camp activities such as physical exercise every evening and morning, daily counselling, testimonial and motivational sessions.
He said that would done in various creative ways such as poetry, music, spoken word, fashion and dance.
Mr Ramontshonyana described the campaign as a metaphor for the journey to recovery because undertaking an endurance ride on horseback from Francistown to Gaborone, pulling a loaded flatbed tow truck from Mochudi to Gaborone and sleeping in a tent for a week in the middle of the city “is surely an intimidating task,” he said.
“Horses and the riders, car pullers and campers should harden their hearts, bear the pain and discomfort to undergo all obstacles as they embark on the daunting campaign,” he said. He added living a life free from drugs, GBV and HIV/AIDS was a nerve wracking task.
He however pointed out that it was achievable when one was strong minded and determined to bear the pain and overcome obstacles.
More still needed to be done to raise awareness against drug abuse and the spread of HIV and called upon the nation to stand up and fight the problem.
Mr Ramontshonyana said although government, civil societies and NGOs had employed various efforts to fight the negative effects of drugs, GBV and the spread of HIV, the exponential growth in the number of new drug users, drug addicts, GBV victims, GBV perpetrators and HIV infections continued to oppose all efforts employed in fighting the situation.
Mr Sledge Mothibi, the executive director of Captive Eye, said he believed that with the length of time and amount of resources already spent in the fight against drugs, GBV and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS must have shown results by now that could help develop proven, trusted and results oriented practices to facilitate the attainment of the fight objectives.
Captive Eye exists to provide prevention, rehabilitation and support services geared towards diverting the youth from unacceptable social behavior, he said.
Mr Mothibi said the campaign would start on August 4, in Francistown and ending on August 19 in Gaborone, with stop overs in Tonota, Serule, Palapye Mahalapye, Dibete, Artesia, Mochudi and Gaborone.
He highlighted that the campaign sought to create a platform and appeal to companies, parastatals, government, communities, individuals or any other interested stakeholder to participate in efforts geared towards spreading awareness about the dangers of drug addiction, GBV and HIV infection.
Regarding the strongman tow truck pulling challenge from Mochudi to Gaborone, the Executive Director of Strongman Inc, Mr Pampu Senwelo, said the activity would focus on physically pulling a loaded flatbed tow truck by 20 strong men.
Mr Senwelo further said the campaign was a demonstration that it was possible to overcome drug abuse, GVB and HIV/AIDS.
He pointed out that multi-sectoral approach to the Botswana drugs pandemic was important, saying the nation needed to unite and collaborate all efforts to win the war.
The campaign advocates for the drug epidemic in Botswana to be considered as a critical public health issue where drug users and recovering users were given adequate care, services and assistance by the relevant bodies, including the community for effective and sustainable recovery, he said.
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