BONEPWA reviews strategy

Correspondent | Tuesday June 21, 2016 15:31

The strategic planning process also sought to review advocacy, communications, internal and external relations components.

Sharing the objectives of the meeting, BONEPWA national support groups’ manager Allan Tshekedi said the review is timely as it also sought to review monitoring and evaluation, reporting systems and governance and leadership components.

When welcoming members, BONEPWA chairperson, Ontlametse Rampoo said the review will provide future sustainability of the organisation through adaptation to change conditions and equally to change conditions in the direction that the organisation desires. Rampoo further said the strategic review is a forum that enables support groups to plan concrete strategic interventions that will contribute to the overall national response.

For his part, the facilitator of the process and senior consultant at Skyberry Botswana, Peter Chibatamoto, said BONEPWA has maintained the meaningful participation of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in initiatives that promote positive health, dignity and prevention (PHDP). He also said it is in light of this that BONEPWA is reviewing its strategic plan and designing new strategies to contribute to the achievement of the national targets. “The review process will provide sustainability of BONEPWA through adaptation to changing conditions and equally change conditions in the direction that is desired,” Chibatamoto said.

Kweneng West Support Groups coordinator Oatlhotse Segwagwa said the strategic review would address challenges of sustaining the organisation driven by the mounting external threats such as the declining donor support, the decreasing voluntarism spirit and the competition of scarce resources and shift from HIV/AIDS as a priority to other development issues.

BONEPWA strategic plan has been in operation since 2012. During its implementation, the organisation embarked on key programmatic areas such as HIV/AIDS service delivery, advocacy, capacity development and sustainability. However, BONEPWA faced challenges related to weak governance and leadership and inefficient systems and process. Other challenges were related to inadequate personnel, limited skills, weak coordination and management of support groups.