23 Apr 2018

With the aim of raising funds and sensitising the community on Treat All programme and HIV/AIDS preventative strategies, Mr Stanley Monageng(72) will embark on his 500km charity walk.

The 72-year-old Uncle Stan or the walking man, as he is known, said his walk would commence on May 1 in Molepolole ending on May 15 in Gaborone. Some of the villages that he will go through include Boatlaname, Sojwe and Lephepe.

“From there I will travel to Ikongwe, Shoshong and Mahalapye then move to Pallaroad, Artesia going towards my final stop, which is Gaborone.

This time I intend to cover more people and share with them lifesaving information as we are all affected if not infected,” noted Mr Monageng.

Mr Monageng, who has been living with HIV since 2005, said he was using the walk as a way of keeping fit.

Last year in July he walked from Molepolole to Gaborone with the aim of raising awareness on HIV/ AIDS and related issues.

Mr Monageng, who is also the founder of Thusang Bana Centre in Molepolole, highlighted that the funds that would be raised during the walk would be directed to the centre to buy porter camps.

He said the caravans would be used to provide services such as counseling for children housed by the centre.

He further said the porter camps would also provide shelter for the children while some will be used as a kitchen for the staff members.

“I also want to raise awareness about the Treat All programme as well as HIV/AIDS preventative strategies.

It is my wish that at least at the end of the walk I will have contributed to the main objective of Treat All or campaign.

He noted that since the launch of the Treat All programme last year people have not been sensitised enough about the programme, saying most of the people, especially in rural areas, were still clueless about it.

He points out that he was a living testimony that one could live a healthy life after being diagnosed with the virus.

“This walk will be used as a testimony to those who are infected by the virus as I will be encouraging them to keep fit and make sure that they never skip their medications” he said.

The Treat All champion also revealed that he would continue to fight stigma, provide support and fix his eyes on his vision of achieving an AIDS-free generation.

He said in all the villages that he would be passing through, there would be kgotla meetings where they would provide free condoms, IEC materials and providing services such as HIV testing and counseling and also educating people about the Treat All programme. ENDS