23 May 2019

National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency in conjunction with Rotary Foundation and Rotary District 5740 held a workshop under the theme: Setlogelwa tsatsing to ensure sustainable funding for civil society.

Speaking at the workshop, executive director of BONASO, Mr Oscar Motsumi said the mandate of the project was to ensure that there was sustainable and adequate funding for civil society organisations.

He said the workshop was meant to raise awareness on the declining international funding for HIV/AIDS work and the need to increase domestic funding.

The workshop, he said, was meant to engage civil society to begin working together against the HIV/AIDS pandemic to achieve zero infection by 2030.

He said they were working with the private sector and Botswana Business Coalition Against HIV/AIDS to create mentorships between civil society organisations and private professionals.

Mr Motsumi said they engaged six experts from the United States of America to train civil society on resource mobilisation and how to implement plans.

He said the project was developed by eight organisations namely; Botswana Network of AIDS Service Organisations, Botswana Business Coalition on AIDS, Peace Corps Botswana and Rotary Club Gaborone.

Former Tatitown Customary Court president, Ms Ludo Mosojane said the objective of the workshop was to mobilise resources that could help organisations achieve zero infections by 2036.

She added that Batswana used to be compassionate and a giving society, but that the spirit has decreased.

She said there must be a holistic and convincing approach by both government and non-governmental organisations to make Batswana aware that there was still need for donations and giving.

Ms Mosojane said there must be a conviction that HIV/AIDS could be overcome through commitment to healthy living, and to raising a generation that wanted to live longer.

Peace Corp volunteer, Ms Amy McBride noted that civil society worked best when the community identified its challenges and developed solutions, and when organisations worked together to address them.

“When organisations work together to address these issues, and when we are not bound by the targets and expectations of outside funders, we can do it,” said Ms McBride.

She said as Peace Corps volunteers what they did was community assessment to identify possible areas of help during their service. She said they realised that the biggest need was sustainable funding. ENDS