14 Jul 2021

DREAMS organisation has engaged taxi operators to carry condoms and healthcare information for those who find getting to health facilities a daunting task.

It is an unorthodox, yet a great move to exploit avenues by which to make condoms and healthcare information accessible, especially to young people.

The move also promotes and encourages condom use as a means of combating the spread of HIV/AIDS, at least according to DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored and Safe) ambassador, Ms Patricia Keeditse.

DREAMS is not limited to condom distribution and dissemination of healthcare information, but inter alia child protection services, pre-exposure prophylaxis and youth friendly services.

The taxi drivers in Mmadinare and Bobonong have, according to Ms Keeditse, agreed to, in addition to availing freely both male and female condoms, refer clients to healthcare workers and clinics. 

Moreover, the taxi drivers advertise DREAMS and its services for free, according to Ms Keeditse.

Although the DREAMS ambassador conceded in an interview that they were yet to train taxi drivers in Bobonong, she was upbeat that taxi drivers continued to discharge their community service splendidly.

As for the Mmadinare taxi drivers, they have been trained and were reportedly conducting the business of condom distribution and information dissemination superbly, owing to the availability of the same.

“It is easier for young people and adults alike to pick condoms from the taxis than to go to healthcare facilities, where cultural barriers may breed some timidity, especially when there are many people in sight,” said the youthful and assertive Ms Keeditse.

Birthed by concerns that many young people complain that they found it hard to visit healthcare institutions to collect condoms and healthcare literature, condom distribution in taxis was also premised on findings of increasing sexually transmitted infections among young people.

In fact, the DREAMS ambassador revealed that, “As a country we are registering 43 cases of HIV every week for people aged between nine and 24 years.”

Quizzed about the safety of condoms in the taxis, Ms Keeditse cleared that the condoms given to the taxi drivers were usually a ‘limited two days’ supply at most so that they do not overstay in the vehicles and get exposed to too much heat.’

The taxi drivers work hand in hand with health education and promotion officers.

“We are very happy about the uptake of the condoms, especially the female ones,” whose uptake she said had been amplified by educating mostly the taxi drivers, the majority of who are males.

She said that their strategy had always been targeting men to appreciate and use the female condom since cultural barriers have been observed to deter women from carrying the condom whenever they visit their partners.

“Some women are just scared by the size of the female condom,” she added.

Although it is not every taxi driver that has embraced DREAMS the initiative, the chairperson of Baharena Taxi Association in Bobonong, Mr Daniel Mathunya said those who committed to helping did so diligently.

Despite minor challenges such as some drivers wanting to keep the condoms for themselves, the chairperson spoke highly of the initiative.

“There are some adults who frown at this move while others appreciate,” said Mr Mathunya, who added that some old people believed availing condoms in the taxis encouraged young people to indulge in sex.

Taxis operate into the late hours of the night and Mr Mathunya found that it was from such that availability of condoms in taxis helped those who knocked off late or were held up when health facilities were closed.

DREAMS envisions an AIDS-free future for girls and women and is sponsored by National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency, among other organisations.

“DREAMS Aims to empower young Batswana females to be bold, strong, healthy and to reach their goals resulting in an AIDS-free generation.” Ends