Mid-Placement in Jwaneng

Posted by Anthony Jones on March 15th, 2010

I’m at the halfway point already of my 4 month placement, hard to believe. Time has really flown by. Myself and Nicole discovered our first few days here in Jwaneng at Mpule Kwelagobe Children’s Center how much work lay ahead of us. After completing 8 days of in country training in Gaborone the students set off to our placements all over the country. The training program was very interesting and informative. 2 days were held at the University of Botswana which is building a huge new addition for medical training. It will be the first in the country. Currently any students from Botswana going into the field of medicine go to Canada, U.S.A. or Great Britain for University. Learning about the Batswana culture, laws, government, HIV/AIDS, just to name a few.

We also were taken to see some local artisans at work, painters, sculptors, craftsmen. I think all the students highlight was for most of our first “Safari”. Mokalodi Game Drive is just outside of Gaborone and after a day of training we headed out to the park. Just a few hundred meters into the park were two magnificent Elephants that walked up right beside our vehicle munching on the long grasses. They had 2 “handlers” who walked with the Elephants to control how much they eat in certain areas, so as not to clear an area of field in one day. During our 2 hour drive we saw numerous animals and bird species, too many to name here. Although the park is over 5,000 hectares in size, it was tiny compared to the students 4 day trip north in early February to Chobe National Park in the north covering an astounding 11.7 million square kilometers. There are over 100,000 Elephants in Chobe. See Nicole’s blog about our trip to Chobe and to Victoria Falls in Zambia and Zimbabwe. A must see for any future students.

It was a surprise when moving into the home of the gentleman I was placed with. Although WUSC has been in Botswana for almost 30 years there have never been students in Jwaneng before. The Center has never had students before and had been asking the Government to find them International student volunteers. My first impression of the town was it was a rough, dirty mining town. But after a few days realized that it wasn’t dangerous here at all. There are areas like the outskirts of town to avoid. I say that as a male, the usual double-standard applies here as anywhere else for Nicole it wouldn’t be safe to be out alone after dark. The vast majority of people are extremely friendly, always offering a hello. Our first 3 weeks here we thought and were told there is nothing to do in Jwaneng. Then we were told about the Debswana Club, a series of building and sports facilitaties. Baseball, volleyball, all raquet sports, basketball, full workout center and a POOL for the hot sunny days here. Nicole and I have been going regularly lately.

The children at the center are just amazing kids. It took a few days for a lot of them to be comfortable around us. Many had never really seen a white person before. Many are quiet and shy, speaking in a whisper most times. They are embarrassed to speak up because they believe their English is so poor. We remind them our Setswana is terrible, they speak well in English and not feel embarrassed if they use the wrong word. It took a few weeks to get to meet ½ the kids. They have a shocking school day. At school for 6:30 a.m. home for lunch at 1:00 p.m. then back to school until 6:00 p.m. Working a 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. shift we often miss the children 12 and over.

Most of my first 2 weeks at the center was spent in old clothes cleaning up the yard. A large old fishpond very close to the homes on the property was full of black water and garbage. Millions of mosquitoes and bugs swarming around, smelled like raw sewage. Glass everywhere in the large yard, 50 or so old sinks and counters with metal objects everywhere, such a safety hazard. I told them I would clean it out the fishpond and fill it in with sand. They suggested having the gov’t come, (in a few months) to vacuum it out. It needed to be done now. Spent 2 days emptying it and refilling it with over 100 wheelbarrows of sand. Then onto days of removing dangerous debris from around the property. The 2 social workers here are hard working ladies. Unfortunately they are among the very few. Most staff have a very different work ethic than in Canada. Students need to bring patience and an accepting mindset here. Something you may be able accomplish in Canada in 20 minutes or so can take all day and even then not complete it.

Students are required to bring a laptop here, but after 3 weeks we’ve had to stop doing internet research for the numerous presentations we’ve done and using our USB’s in the Center’s computer to print. Africa is famous for major computer virus problems. On a daily basis we were having Norton scan our computers from using the USB in our laptops and their computer. One student in country has had their laptop freeze up. The Center has asked the Government for internet and anti-virus software but get no response.

The first few weeks Nicole I spent giving presentations on Autism, they have a non verbal 17 year old boy here with no knowledge on how to work with him. Quickly followed by presentations to all staff, housemothers and or the children for some, such as a puberty talk with the kids. Self Care, Emotional Abuse, Signs of Child Abuse, Bullying, Psychosocial Skills, Bereavement, Trauma/Grief counseling and team building exercises for the staff. Nicole intervened when a teenage girl was brought o the center who had been raped. The Police wouldn’t help. Nicole and I spoke with the girl and her friend then took them to the Police, a female officer, who helped the girl. Took her to the Hospital for a rape kit and to start Anti Retroviral Therapy to kill any possible HIV infection. Then took the girl home. Unfortunately because she is a “squatter” living on the edges of town with no address the local Social Workers will not help her.

We’ve also created a quote for new sports equipment and WUSC donated $1,000 pula for arts and crafts supplies for the children. They now have basketballs, new posts and nets, volleyball and soccer as well. A ping pong table, skipping ropes. The kids really want hoola hoops so we’re trying to find some. Most of these kids have never owned anything, not a single toy.

We both hope to spend more time one on one with the kids in the short time left. I would love to stay for a year but contracts can’t be extended. Nicole and I both hope future students will pick up soon after we are gone to ensure programs are continued and followed through with. Our fear is much of the work we do will not continue on after we’re gone. I hopefully can return one day, possibly through Uniterra. I’ve loved the experience so far despite the obvious frustrations. Sometimes you just have to laugh at things and relax.

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