Electricaid Project of the Month

Living better with HIV/AIDS in Botswana

Skillshare International Ireland is committed to the empowerment of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHAs) in southern Africa. It’s goal is to improve the quality and duration of people’s lives. Through its partnership with the Botswana Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS, which is the national network coordinating the initiatives of PLWHA support groups in Botswana, it focuses on orphans and vulnerable children and their psychosocial development. A grant of €10,000 from ElectricAid in late 2007 enabled Skillshare to provide chickens to the people of Mogobane and Mokubilo. These chickens helped to supplement the income of four support groups of people with HIV/AIDS.

Mr. Moeketsi, the group coordinator was very enthused about the project. “This project has brought a new lease of life to the support group members and has strengthened the dedication and commitment amongst beneficiaries and village leadership."

Not only does the poultry generate income but it is also a great source of nutrition for the people. Reasonable and regular nutrition is a basic building block of living a near-normal life with HIV/AIDS. This is not a problem in the west but is in the Developing World.

Twenty-seven year-old Lerato who is a member of the support group says,“I am happy that I joined the support group. I was a widow, unable to fend for my children but I don’t have to worry about that any more because through the poultry project supported by Skillshare, I am able to get some money from the sale of eggs and sometimes get chicken meat for my meals”.

A vegetable garden was also funded and it is maintained on a day-to-day basis by the support group's members. The proceeds from the sale of vegetables help to feed orphans and other vulnerable children living in the village. The project has raised the self-esteem of the support group members, giving them responsibilities, as well as providing an income. Networking has also increased among the support groups, enabling the members to interact with each other and to develop social skills.

ElectricAid’s grant has changed the outlook of the communities of Mogobane and Mokubilo – people who have far less than you or I but can still remain positive about the future. Lerato sums up her thoughts on the project by saying, “I don’t have to sit at home and feel sorry about my HIV positive status because we are busy on the project and this keeps us preoccupied with constructive thoughts”.