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OVERVIEW
Youth voices in Botswana Botswana, a country in southern Africa known for its wildlife and the Okavango Delta, is also home to the Kgalagadi desert — one of the least developed regions of the country. The inhabitants of the Kgalagadi live in the region’s many small and scattered settlements, where government services are often slow to arrive. But thanks to the government’s continued efforts to improve the quality of life in the region, most youth are now enrolled in school, and many have graduated. Upon completing their education, however, many young people migrate to urban areas, creating a generation gap back home between youth and older adults. The age gap, with its attendant cultural and societal differences, results in barriers to communication between youth and their elders. So whether in or out of school, youth in the Kgalagadi region are often left to fend for themselves in the search for information about sex and HIV/AIDS. In 2002, AYA Botswana selected the Kgalagadi area for a condom destigmatization campaign — providing relevant information and debunking myths and misconceptions about the use of both female and male condoms. Throughout Botswana, many people remain unaware of the female condom, and among those who know of its existence, confusion often surrounds its use. AYA’s campaign visited several Kgalagadi settlements, including the small village of Omaweneno, where infrequent public events draw most residents to the scene of activity. For young people, the campaign event provided a rare opportunity to be heard — and to connect with the adult population — on issues of relevance to youth. The youth council of Omaweneno planned the condom destigmatization campaign’s activities in their community. Most villages in Botswana support youth committees or councils — local arms of the Botswana National Youth Council, a body responsible for the general welfare of young people in the country. The local councils raise and address issues of particular relevance to young people, and include both in- and out-of-school youth to ensure the range of voices and issues are heard. The team leading condom destigmatization event comprised ten youth peer educator/counselors, along with three professionals in the field of adolescent sexual and reproductive health who provided assistance as needed. Youth began the day with dramas about correct condom use and HIV/AIDS. But as the event unfolded, myths and misconceptions came under discussion — and some adults began chasing children from the site. Noticing the evictions, event leaders began to address the concerns over the presence of children, and opened the floor for views from both sides. The controversy turned into a ground-breaking moment for the local campaign, with the team leading the event highlighting the need for continued communication between the two camps. And as a result of the discussion — to which the youth made significant contributions — each side developed a better understanding of the concerns burdening the other. Organized by local youth, the condom destigmatization campaign brought a new level of communication to the Omaweneno community. While long-held values do not change overnight, the elders recognized the level of knowledge their young people have, and began to acknowledge the importance of providing adolescents with correct information and a supportive environment from which to develop healthy, productive futures. |
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