30 May 2021

Botswana Sport Volunteers Movement ushered in new leadership during its general assembly in Gaborone on Saturday.

Tapson Patane was elected vice chairperson, secretary position went to Moses Poloko, Nathaniel Matsheka treasurer, the organisation’s mouth piece went to Thato Matenge while Kgotlaetsile Moube and Boshoma Mfecane were ushered in as executive members. All were elected unopposed.

The chairperson, who is expected to lead the movement for the next four years, would be nominated by the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC).

When addressing delegates, the outgoing chairperson, Keenese Katisenge-Tizhani, said the committee had a strategy review session with BNSC in 2019.

She said the strategy document was cascaded to the regions and evaluation conducted in 2021, adding that the goal was to improve strategic partnerships and resource mobilisation.

In addition, she said the developed and implemented stakeholder framework allowed them to use different methods to identify stakeholders, determine the best approaches to engage stakeholders in SVM work and to build trust and recognize how to work with SVM stakeholders proactively to promote SVM values.

She said from the SVM strategy, the strategic objectives of establishing and maintaining partnerships with National Sport Associations, government departments, parastatals and private organizations was acted upon through the initiatives as per the score card.

“We are pleased to report that through our relationship management approach, we were able to build and maintain working relationships, not only with organizations locally but at international level as well,” she said.

SVM is formally one of the bodies that have been considered by the International Sport for All Association (TAFISA) for the TAFISA’s Mission 2030: “For a Better World through Sport for All” which is a guiding document for a global strategy to fight the worldwide physical inactivity epidemic, said Katisenge Tizhan.

She said with the global community having been impacted negatively by the COVID-19 pandemic, they were able to demonstrate their commitment as a movement to making a difference in people’s lives through this strategic partnership and our involvement with the campaign. Sport for All

Talking about inclusion, she said with one of their values being inclusion, SVM continued to cater for a representative from Women and Sport Botswana (WASBO) on its structures.

She said the regional and sub-regional committees around the country comprised of a WASBO Committee member, adding the national executive committee chairperson of movement was also a member of the WASBO national executive committee.

“This was a strategic move by the movement to allow for lobbying and advocacy for gender equality and recommendation: Stipulate need for inclusion amongst others of gender, and people living with disabilities on the SVM policy, one area to explore stipulating inclusion under is the sub-committees,” he said.ENDS