The two pre-eminent 'Batswana' international writers

They lived worlds apart and had so many contrasts between them but one thing that is common about both of them is that they have put Botswana on the world map. For a start her mother's white family rejected Bessie Head because her father was black. On the other hand, Alexander McCall-Smith's parents are both British and white and his upbringing was good.

Although Head's maternal family was opulent she died in poverty, while on the other hand it is clear that McCall-Smith is safe from the clutches of poverty.

Both of them adore Botswana and their love for the country has been immortalised in their books. Head's affectionate depiction of Serowe in her book Serowe: The Village of Rain Wind has prompted many to visit the semi-arid country when she wrote:

Editor's Comment
Routine child vaccination imperative

The recent Vaccination Day in Motokwe, orchestrated through collaborative efforts between UNICEF, USAID, BRCS, and the Ministry of Health, underscores a commendable stride towards fortifying child health services.The painful reality as reflected by the Ministry of Health's data regarding the decline in routine immunisation coverage since the onset of the pandemic, is a cause for concern.It underscores the urgent need to address the...

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