mmegi

The rise and fall of civil society in Botswana (Part 2)

Yesteryear: An old banner on the ABCs of HIV and AIDS. The disease continues to be a public health challenge
Yesteryear: An old banner on the ABCs of HIV and AIDS. The disease continues to be a public health challenge

Some are still regarded as heroes and heroines in the field of HIV and AIDS, especially for their bravery and total self-sacrifice in the fight against stigmatisation.

Their efforts were centred on combating HIV/AIDS misinformation and discrimination, years back when treatment was yet to be discovered.

Special mention must go to the then AIDS/STD Unit under the Ministry of Health that back then supported the ideas of the likes of David Ngele, Helen Ditsebe-Mhone, and Dipuo Bogatsu to form a support group for People Living with HIV (PLHIV). Overtime, Ngele would become the Chairperson of BONEPWA+ and later its National Coordinator, while Ditsebe-Mhone would then form an NGO, first as a support group, which in turn would become The Coping Centre for People Living with HIV and AIDS (COCEPWA).

Editor's Comment
A promising step for public schools, but...

For too long, the state of many public schools has been a source of shame. We have all seen the pictures and heard the stories of broken windows, unreliable water and electricity, topped by classrooms that are not fit for proper learning. The establishment of the Education Infrastructure and Management Company Ltd (EIMC) signals that authorities are finally ready to take this problem seriously. We must commend the government for this initiative....

Have a Story? Send Us a tip
arrow up