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The rise and fall of civil society in Botswana (Part 1)

From the ground up: HIV activists were amongst the earliest examples of civil society responding to national challenges
From the ground up: HIV activists were amongst the earliest examples of civil society responding to national challenges

In 1999, David Chizao Ngele, the first Motswana to go public with his HIV+ status, together with his fellow comrades in the then HIV anti-stigma support group, convened a lunch meeting at the Red Cross offices, under the auspices of the AIDS/STDs Unit with the aim of lobbying for more support from government.

Even though the meeting started off as an informal discussion, it would heat up towards 3pm in the same afternoon when one of the support group members suggested that the meeting be formally recorded. That individual would at the end of the meeting be elected the Chairperson of the interim committee, namely Ngele.

The AIDS/STD Unit then supported Ngele with the task of mobilising other potential HIV+ candidates and activists and not long after, along with his fellow comrades in the HIV anti-stigma struggle then, the Botswana Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (BONEPWA+) was born and registered in 2000.

Editor's Comment
Kudos to Botswana Police Service, other security entities

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing.”– Theodore RooseveltThrough the two-day event, over 700 athletes from 40 countries, and multitudes of spectators gathered in Gaborone to witness a world-class sporting spectacle.Beyond the medals and performances on the track, Botswana won something equally important: international respect. One of the key pillars behind the success was the sterling work done by the...

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