07 Aug 2016

Tsela Kgopo (TK) Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) and Gender project that Project Concern International (PCI) implemented on May 2011 will end on September 2016.

The project that was implemented in collaboration with 10 civil society organisations was meant to improve the quality of life of OVCs, their parents or caregivers and improve gender-based responses and programming in HIV/AIDS in Botswana has benefitted over 31 000.  

The project also addressed the needs of OVCs and their families, including gender inequality issues within all districts of Botswana.    

With funding from President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), through United States Agency for International Development (USAID), TK project implemented various interventions through the comprehensive family care model to provide age specific and gender appropriate services to OVCs and their families.    

As a result of its hard work, over the last five years, the project has touched the lives of its beneficiaries and they are now living better lives. 

Delivering Botswana government’s statement at Tsela Kgopo OVC and Gender Project National Dissemination and Close Out event on Thursday, Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso expressed gratitude that TK project took a comprehensive approach to caring for children.

“It is evident that the designers of the project had taken into consideration the underlying challenges faced by our children and their families,” she said. 

For that reason, she said Botswana would forever be grateful to the US government for its continued support in addressing many of the country’s national goals and priorities.  

This, the assistant minister said had been a remarkable project and had equipped beneficiaries with the necessary skills to alleviate their challenges.

In his statement of US/Botswana government partnership, US Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Earl Miller, said TK project had been a shining star in Botswana’s efforts to combat HIV/AIDS at community level. 

For five years, Ambassador Miller said United States Agency for International Development (USAID) worked closely with local partners through the project to bring crucial health and social services to thousands of people in Botswana, including the almost 15 per cent of children in the country who were orphans. 

“The US government is proud to have collaborated with multiple government partners and ministries on this project,” he said.                                     

One of USAID’s health programmes in Botswana, he said was a strong emphasis on community engagement, adding that TK project was an outstanding example of that approach. 

The project, he said focused right at community level, ‘with direct home visits, early childhood services, life skills training, even homework support to make changes stick and give people in need every opportunity to thrive.’

Through its Comprehensive Family Care approach, he said TK project also targeted vulnerable households to identify OVCs, vulnerable caregivers, expectant mothers, abuse victims, unemployment youth, HIV positive and chronically ill individuals to offer them critical services. 

Nearly 13 000 people, Mr Miller said were reached with services explicitly addressing GBV related to HIV/AIDS. 

Furthermore, he said the project helped establish self-help savings and lending groups to offer vulnerable women financial protection. During the course of implementation, the Ambassador said 204 groups were formed with over 2 000 members, totaling over P356 000 in savings.

National AIDS Coordinating Agency coordinator, Ms Grace Muzila, in her welcome remarks, thanked US government for TK project’s positive results, saying though the project was ending in September 2016, what was achieved since its inception would forever be celebrated. Through the project, Ms Muzila said communities were imparted skills and assisted to help themselves in a cost effective manner. 

Giving a vote of thanks, PCI country director, Ms Dorothy Tlagae expressed gratitude to the government of Botswana and all who contributed in the implementation of the project, saying milestones made through the project was made possible by their partnerships. ENDS