Mothibi: Driving women in sport�s agenda
Calistus Kolantsho | Friday February 19, 2016 14:38
She started off as a volunteer, became a table tennis player, moved to administration and now finds herself at the helm of the International Working Group on Women and Sport (IWG).
Botswana has been home to the independent international coordinating body’s secretariat for two years with a further two remaining.
Mothibi was choosen its secretary general. She did not play table tennis for long after joining the University of Botswana club as she quit to become the Botswana Table Tennis Association secretary general. In 2004, she became a member of the African Table Tennis Working Group. That was the beginning of her journey to be part of influential administrators in sport. She went on to become the secretary general of Women and Sport Botswana (WASBO) in 2005. Mothibi has had an opportunity to sit in the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNSC) board in 2010.
“I was doing all the volunteer work, but at the same time I was working full time as a teacher at Ikageng Junior Secondary School in Metsimotlhabe. I was a teacher from 2004 until 2009,” she said.
In 2010, Mothibi was recruited as special projects coordinator at the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC). She was elevated to acting sport development manager-administration between 2012 and 2013. She was then appointed general manager until 2014. She led the Botswana team that competed at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth games.
Mothibi said she was involved in the bid to host the IWG and eventually the BNSC won the right in June 2014.
“My passion for sport drives me. I could say I was born a feminist, but my mother motivated me as well. She is a pastor and I was also trying to protect her and I ended up trying to protect all women,” she said.
The mother of one said the spirit of volunteerism gave her exposure an opportunity to run an international organisation.
She said dealing with issues affecting women is a challenge. She pointed out women are expected to be mothers, but at the same time involved in sport.
Mothibi said they are advocating for stadiums to have child care areas. She said that would enable women to bring their babies to the stadium knowing there are facilities to cater for them.
She said IWG is not meant to ‘fight’ men, but rather to make the environment conducive for everybody. She said women deserve the same opportunities and they can bring glory to the country.
She said the IWG is expected to leave a legacy including the drafting of policies that would tackle gender issues. She said the world is focusing on Botswana and there is a need for mindset change.
Fact file
Full names: Game Gynneth Mothibi
Date of birth:
June 11, 1979
Place of birth: Kanye
Position: IWG secretary general 2014-2018
Sport: Table tennis