Dumela! Le kae? Hello! How are you?

Posted by Gayle on September 17th, 2009

I wanted to share with you some of my experiences from my first two weeks in Botswana. It has been eventful and very interesting. I am constantly learning and discovering new things about this country’s social, historical, political, environmental and cultural aspects.

My first impression of Gaborone is that it is quite a modern city. It has large office buildings, malls, a well established University and all the recent technology – everyone walks around with a cell phone or two in hand! Botswana is a small country, roughly the size of Texas, with a relatively small population of 1.8 million. The capital city, Gaborone, is about 300,000 but most of the country is sparsely populated and desert with a number of natural reserves for animals.

My first week was spent in orientation sessions with eight other Canadian volunteers. As part of the orientation, various people were invited to speak with us on a wide variety of topics regarding Botswana. Some of the topics included the environment, history, security, human rights, gender and development and HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS is a critical issue in Botswana. 1 in every 4 people has it. Social stigma and intense discrimination prevent people from seeking treatment, which is widely available and free. Even though Botswana is relatively well developed and considered a middle income country because of its predominant diamond mining industry, the average life expectancy is only 33 years. There are many campaigns in this country to educate students and adults on HIV/AIDS and billboards around the city asking, “Do you know who is in your sexual network?” due to multiple partner transmission.

Also, part of our orientation were many tours and events. We toured the Botswana cultural museum, the parliament buildings, the monument of the three chiefs (men who sought protection from the British) and their downtown, which they call the main mall – they have many malls here in Gaborone! On the weekend we had the privilege of going on a game drive at the Mokolodi Nature Reserve. I saw many animals up close that I have only previously seen in zoos, such as elephants, giraffes, cheetahs, hippos, baboons, ostriches, and some I’ve never seen before such as impalas, warthogs, hyenas and various birds. It was an amazing experience! In the evening we were treated to a Setswana cultural event as part of Botswana’s cultural awareness week (The people of Botswana are Batswana and speak Setswana). We saw beautiful traditional music and dancing and some contemporary performances too. The following day we went to the Bahurutshe Cultural Lodge. It is run by Mma Klickman and her daughter, as well as many of the grannies from their near by village. We learned about their traditional practices of marriage ceremonies, curing illnesses (stepping in warm cow dung!), grounding and sifting grains to make food and preventing snakes from entering the huts (spreading cow dung on the ground!!). In the evening we sat around a fire with the grandmothers and they told us stories while we drank their home made brew made from sogram grain. Then we slept in traditional round huts made from mud and grass (luckily no cow dung!). This was a wonderful experience and definitely a highlight of my time here so far.

This past week I started my internship with the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) Gender Unit. I was surprised to find out that although SADC is made up of fifteen southern countries in Africa and its headquarters are housed in a large office tower, the Gender Unit is comprised of only three women. Magdeline is the head of the Gender Unit, Elizabeth is the Programme Officer and Patricia is the Administrator. Needless to say I have to, as Magdeline said, ‘jump on a moving train.’ So far I’ve been tasked with editing their 250 page SADC Gender Mainstreaming Resource Kit, which will be distributed throughout SADC as a training tool. The managers of each division will be required to take a course in gender mainstreaming in order to implement it effectively into their various programs, projects and policies. When Magdeline returns from a gender conference at the University of Pretoria in South Africa next week, we’ll be able to sit down and discuss more in depth what I will be doing. I will be able to inform you in greater detail of my work in next month’s update.

I must say that getting to and from work is quite the experience! I have to take a combi, Botswana’s version of a bus, but it’s really a white mini-van. There is no bus schedule and a combi will only stop if there is a space inside. Up to 16 people can fit in one and it can get really crammed. It costs 2.70 in pula (1 Canadian dollar = 6 pula). I have to say “ema stopping” to get out at the next stop. I get out at the main bus terminal (or ‘Bus Rank’ as they call it). This feels like the busiest place in all of Botswana! There are hundreds of combis, taxis, big greyhound-like buses, vendors selling anything from candy to cabbage to sunglasses or cell phone parts, and then all the people trying to get from one place to another! It felt like madness the first time I went, but I think I’m getting used to it. The one thing I’m not so used to is being stared at. A new friend from Gaborone told me that the general assumption is that if you’re white then you have money and will own a car to get around. So, so far I am the only white person I’ve seen taking combis! But I feel safe getting around on my own. We were told many times that Botswana is a very safe country. Police do not carry any guns, batons or even whistles.

Botswana will be celebrating its 43rd year of independence on September 30th and there are will be many celebrations taking place. This country is also holding its national elections on October 16th and it is expected to be peaceful. Another thing to look forward to is summer! Although I say this with some hesitation because right now it is Spring and thirty degrees, and it could go up to as high as forty!!!

A big hug to Canada!

Sala Sentle (Stay Well).

Love,
Gayle

Posted in Botswana, In-Country