Camp ala Botswana

August Aug 10 to 16, 2008, Youth Empowerment Forum, Pitsane, Botswana

The Youth Forum represented over 100 poor and vulnerable children as well as many exceptional youth from the ages of 8 to 18 years old. They were bombarded with talks by all kinds of organizations presenting on everything from alcohol abuse, HIV and AIDS prevention to volunteerism a la the Red Cross and Peace Corps. Students recorded their notes on each topic and participated in productive discussion groups to elicit more participation. I personally had fun debating with a team of old people against some students who advocated student rights. We lost when the students voted, but we did try our best.

The students were assisted by 30 or more facilitators from government offices, teachers, NGOs, and 12 Peace Corps volunteers who all worked as a team over the weak to focus on the children’s needs and concerns. It was an intense camp atmosphere with little time for play and sports. We all stayed in dorms of the 10 year old Barolong Vocational School in the southern part of Botswana near South Africa. And during the week we did take a field trip to see the Botswana Defense Force’s automated diary, which happened to be near the South African border, although we did not cross it.

The experience was very challenging in part because it was both in Setswana and English. The Peace Corps Volunteers had trouble understanding the Setswana and many of the kids and adults had trouble understanding the English, although the society is amazingly bilingual.
The forum was sponsored by such organizations as UNICEF, UNDP (Development and Planning), the Ministry of Education, the Red Cross, etc. They provided us with three meals a day plus tea breaks in the morning and afternoon. The experience was intense. The question was, did it build capacity? Maybe and maybe not, but it might have planted some seeds in the minds of some of the children. Did the Peace Corps make a difference by our presence? We hope so, but in any case we learned more about Botswana culture and customs. The last evening we also attend a “braai” which is really a barbeque in which everyone, except me, cooked their own meeting over the fire.

I learned lots about different organizations that presented to the students. Also got tested for HIV by a PEPFAR or US aided organization. The counseling was excellent so our money was well spent. They used the rapid test so I knew very quickly that I was negative.
I also enjoyed seeing a different town and part of the country. It is the center of the cattle slaughtering houses and also has the main mental hospital. Lobatse looks like it could be a town in the Midwest. It has a shopping center, train and several housing developments. The weather there is colder than Molepolole because it is farther south and nearer the southern part of the Kalahari Desert. (Cold showers were a challenge!)

Our winter is almost over. Days are windy and nights are still cold, but the days are generally warm. My clothes dry quickly on the line these days. I have a major needs assessment of my school and the community due soon which will keep my busy while the school is on break until the beginning of September. I am busy organizing my new home and hope to have some time to post photos or at least refer you to other volunteers blogs to give you a visual image. Hope everyone is enjoying the summer. Tsamaya sentle! Good well!