Updates from Compassionate Botswana: The BOTHO Compassion Movement Aids Homeless Children
On the left, BOTHO provides meals to families in squatter camps (http://botho.co/), on the right, an image of students from The Bana Ba Metsi School, which is now accepting children from the camps, thanks to BOTHO (http://banabametsi.com/)
The BOTHO Compassion Movement in Botswana (affiliated with the Charter for Compassion International) carries out a diverse range of work serving the local community. BOTHO members work to gather community resources to directly support the inhabitants of squatter camps in Jwaneng who face serious challenges regarding food, health, education, and safety.
Securing Schooling for Homeless Children
In 2016 BOTHO founder Magdalena Whoolery announced the securing of funding for an initiative to send homeless children from the camp to school. She reports that
“Kiki, a homeless orphaned street boy from Jwaneng, has arrived safe and sound at the best school in the country...
Botho Compassion Movement helped get the young boy (middle of picture) into school.
He used to sleep behind the bins at Choopies supermarket. He then got support from the Catholic Church and some Out of Schools Teaching. Now he’s getting a good education at one of the best schools.”
She feels that it is an excellent school because it successfully serves the most vulnerable children. The school she refers to is The Bana Ba Metsi School founded by Steve Harpt. The school’s site explains that
“In Botswana, there is universal access to free primary education. Despite this, a significant percentage of school aged children are not in primary school for one reason or another. The School is targeting those young people in this group who have been expelled from or dropped out of regular classes due to behavioral problems or other socio-economic reasons. Most members of this group come from destitute families, are classified as Rural Area Dwellers (RAD), or are orphans and are recommended for admission by the Social Welfare Department or non-governmental organizations dealing with such children.”
Images from the school — students paint a school sign and show off donated soccer shoes — and a video of their marimba band.
Delivery of Donations to the Homeless
Donations to the homeless in Jwaneng are continuing in 2016. Whoolery shares:
“Father William from Jwaneng came by to collect the donations of toys, blankets, children and adult clothes. Thank you Claire Brockbank for organizing the collection! And a huge thank you to Sonya the IYCF specialist from Canada who donated lots of peanut butter for our malnourished children... our meeting at Ministry of Health appears to give more hope that a door may open for Father William to apply for funds for ‘Direct Feeding’ of the homeless children...Every step we take is one step further than before.”
The Campaign for Breast Feeding Rights
In other news from Botswana, Magdalena Whoolery of BOTHO has been working with the issue of infant mortality with La Leche League International, though efforts to promote and protect breastfeeding. The Botswana Gazette quotes Whoolery:
“When breastfeeding rates go down, infant mortality goes up. La Leche League has no agenda other than to help mothers to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.”
BOTHO is also now officially a registered organization with the Republic of Botswana, which will aid their future fundraising efforts.
by Julia Travers, writer, portfolio at https://jtravers.journoportfolio.com/
