Emang Basadi stands the test of time

Mothusi Jowawa | Thursday October 2, 2014 09:00

Emang Basadi is one such Non Governmental Organisation, which has not escaped the wrath of dwindling donations from the international community but in the face of it all, the women association has managed to stay afloat.

“The issue of financial constraint is a huge one faced not only by Emang Basadi but rather, by the entire civil society movement.

“This has forced organisations to abandon their mandate and organisational strategic planning and do with whatever is available.

“The result has been organisations loss of focus and direction,” the president of Emang Basadi Joyce Anderson said in her address during the association’s Annual General Meeting held this past Saturday.

The financial handicap has however not downed the spirit of these women who have continuously and tirelessly advocated for the rights of women, who together with children, form part of the marginalised groups of society. Training and empowerment workshops have been conducted among them the partnership with the European Commission through the Non State Actors Capacity Building.

This partnership addressed gender based violence, gender and HIV/AIDS as a Human Rights Issue in the Barolong Sub District covering Goodhope, Pitsane, Mabule, Phitshane-Molopo, Mmathethe and Digawana.

“Debswana entered into a partnership with Emang Basadi on a 12 months project, Facilitating Legal Aid and Counseling Services in Palapye and Selebi-Phikwe.

In addition to this, the company’s head office volunteers - Team Phatsima - overseen by the Corporate Investment Programme painted Emang Basadi offices to the tune of P50,000. The organisation liaised with Plascon Botswana who donated paints and later handed over a good looking and refreshing office to Emang Basadi,” Anderson continued

Other stakeholders’ engagement includes the ongoing partnership with Bread for the World, which is aimed at Challenging Gender Inequality in Botswana and based in Kgalagadi North.

The African Women Development Foundation also assisted with the proposal to facilitate elimination of gender based violence campaigns in commemoration of the 2012 – 16 days of Activism Against Gender based Violence.

All these activities and partnerships do not just happen by a stroke of luck but rather, the dedicated and intact workforce led by the Director Idah Mokereitane who have been given the due credit.

With a staff compliment of about six people, the Emang Basadi office has put in a great effort through periodic staff meetings to discuss progress in organisational progammes.