14 May 2014

In 2005, the Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana (EFB) established an HIV/AIDS wing called the EFB HIV/AIDS Commission in order to strengthen the role and interventions of member churches regarding HIV/AIDS.

Speaking at a teachers and parents training workshop on Monday, May 12 the EFB project coordinator Ms Gofaone Motlhobogwa said the intention was to convene, coach, commission, and coordinate member churches in Botswana to promote prevention programmes that focus on abstinence for youth and singles in schools and churches.

During their visits to Mogoditshane, Metsimotlhabe and Mmopane, including the local schools in the three villages, Ms Motlhobogwa said they interacted with students showing them videos, conducting group discussions and home visits.

She said the total number of people reached from April 2013 to March 2014 was 7 239, exceeding their anticipated target of 6 000.

She noted that they managed to exceed the target for the year due to support from schools and the communities, adding that they had reached more females than males.

Further, Ms Motlhobogwa said most of the people had been reached with the abstinence massages, mostly in schools.

“Amongst the three areas served by the organization, more people were reached at Mogoditshane than at Mmopane and Metsimotlhabe, the reason being that Mogoditshane had a larger population of 46 493 as compared to Metsimotlhabe with a population of 2 696 and Mmopane with a population of 3 512,”she said.

Meanwhile, the coordinator of National AIDS Coordinating Agency Ms Grace Muzila said if organisations did not hold such training workshops, there was no how Botswana could reach the new zero HIV infections.

Ms Muzila applauded teachers for their part in the grooming of students. “When you are a teacher, it should be shown everywhere, not only in schools,” she said, encouraging them to continue with the good work.

In turn, Mr Motswedi Rasetena, a senior Guidance and Counseling teacher at Metsimotlhabe Primary School thanked EFB saying the grouping had contributed a lot to their school.

He said EFB peer groups had come at the right time making their work easier; he assured them that they would continue where EFB had stopped.

Ms Joyce Obakeng, a teacher from Mogoditshane Junior Secondary School congratulated EFB and appealed to them to continue with the good work.

She said last year they lost six Form Three students due to pregnancy and this year they have already lost only one.

“EFB has contributed a lot and we still need them in our school,” she said, adding that they had the challenge of shortage of guidance and counseling teachers and that made communication to all students a problem. ENDS