Situational analysis of the socioeconomic conditions of orphans and vulnerable children in seven

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Situational analysis of the socioeconomic

conditions of orphans and vulnerable children in

seven districts in Botswana

Edited by GN Tsheko

Free download from www.hsrcpress.ac.za

Research report prepared by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and the Nelson

Mandela Children’s Fund (NMCF) for the strategy of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) for

the care of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe

in commemoration of the WKKF’s 75th Anniversary.

Published by HSRC Press

Private Bag X9182, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa

www.hsrcpress.ac.za

First published 2007

ISBN 978-0-7969-2195-6

© 2007 Human Sciences Research Council

Copyedited by David Le Page

Typeset by Janco Yspeert

Cover design by Oryx Media

Cover photo: © Tessa Frootko Gordon/iAfrika Photos

Print management by Compress

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Acknowledgements฀ iv

Acronyms฀ v

Executive฀summary฀ vi

1฀ Introduction฀ 1

2฀ Background฀to฀the฀project฀3

3฀ Methodology฀ 7

4฀ Palapye฀ 11

5฀ Kweneng฀West-Letlhakeng฀ 21

6฀ Serowe฀ 29

7฀ Kanye฀ 39

8฀ Maun฀ 45

9฀ Mahalapye฀ 51

10฀ Molepolole฀ 59

11฀ Overall฀conclusions฀and฀recommendations฀ 65

References฀ 70

contents

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iv

The researchers (Dr GN Tsheko, Prof. SD Tlou, Ms M Segwabe, Dr LW Odirile) and Ms A

Kabanye-Munene) who co-authored some parts of the document, would like to thank all

those who made it possible for this work to be completed. This study was supported by

the Kellogg Foundation and undertaken by Masiela Trust Fund, OVC Research-Botswana

under the umbrella of the Human Sciences Research Council’s (HSRC) Social Aspects of

HIV/AIDS & Health research programme in South Africa. The Masiela Trust Fund and the

HSRC are indebted to the field assistants, respondents, and community leaders in Palapye,

Letlhakane, Kanye, Molepolole, Mahalapye, Serowe and Maun who participated in this

study. We are also grateful to our research team, the members of which have worked

tirelessly in the preparation of instruments, collection of data and report writing.

We cannot stop thanking the staff at Masiela Trust Fund for the support they provided

during the study period.

Lastly, we thank Dr GN Tsheko for editing the final report.

AcKnoWLeDGeMents

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v

ARV antiretroviral

AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

BOCAIP Botswana Christian Aids Intervention Programme

BOTUSA Botswana USA Project

CBO community-based organisation

DSS Department of Social Services

FBO faith-based organisation

HBC home-based care

HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus

HSRC Human Sciences Research Council

IEC information, education and communication

MRC Medical Research Council

NGO non-governmental organisation

OVC orphans and vulnerable children

PMTCT prevention of mother-to-child transmission (of HIV)

STPA Short Term Plan of Action

TCM total community mobilisation

VCT voluntary counselling and testing

VDC village development committee

WKKF WK Kellogg Foundation

AcronyMs

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vi

The overall aim of this project is to implement research-driven, evidence-based,

intervention programmes to assist children, families and communities affected by

HIV/AIDS in Botswana. The overall philosophy is to empower communities to help

themselves, and to ensure sustainability of the project after donor funding ceases.

The situation analysis was carried out in seven research sites in Botswana. These are

Palapye, Letlhakeng, Kanye, Mahalapye, Molepolole, Serowe and Maun. The data

collection methods used for the qualitative research included key informant interviews and

focus group discussions. Information was collected from orphans and vulnerable children

(OVC), their caregivers, community members, community-based organisations (CBOs),

government officials and community leaders; as well as members of non-governmental

organisations (NGOs) and faith-based organisations (FBOs).

The objectives of the study are to improve the living conditions of orphans and vulnerable

children; to support households and families to cope with the increasing burden of care

for affected and vulnerable children; to strengthen community-based support systems

under which vulnerable children exist; and to build community-based systems for

sustaining care and support to vulnerable children and their families.

The seven sites are located at different distances from the capital city Gaborone but are

reachable by (tarred) road. Maun is the furthest away (around 1000 kilometres from

Gaborone) and can be reached by both road and air, as this is the one village that has an

airport.

The major challenges facing orphans and vulnerable children are poverty related and

include female-headed households, and inability of families to provide even the most

basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter. The poverty of these children places

them at greater risk of experiencing other social problems such as property grabbing,

ill-treatment, abuse and congested households. The findings are that there is free,

non-compulsory education as well as free medical services, orphan care and destitute

programmes provided by the government at all sites. The spirit of volunteerism is present

within all communities, though it varies from one site to another.

The absence of a policy that advocates for OVC makes it difficult for NGO, CBO, FBO

and government officials to protect orphans and vulnerable children from property

grabbing.

Most service providers, including both government and non-governmental organisations

mentioned issues such as transport, financial and staff shortage as their major challenges

in delivery of services.

Our findings reveal that HIV/AIDS stigma continues to be a major challenge, despite the

maturity of the epidemic, and the extent of education to sensitise the community to the

need for support and acceptance of those infected. A general lack of knowledge about

HIV/AIDS was found, as evidenced by myths surrounding transmission, prevention and

cure. Communities need more education on issues of HIV/AIDS, especially to try and

decrease the extent to which people are stigmatised.

eXecUtIVe฀sUMMAry

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1

Introduction

Skinner et al. (2004) define an orphan as a child who has lost both parents through

death, desertion or if the parents are unable or unwilling to provide care. They further

define a child as someone who is aged 18 years and below, though in some cases 21 is

the cut-off age used.

Skinner et al. (2004) also define a vulnerable child as someone who has no or restricted

access to basic needs and whose rights are denied even if they have both parents. The

Botswana Short Term Plan of Action (STPA) on the care of orphans defines an orphan as

a ‘child below 18 years who has lost one or two biological parents’. The STPA goes on to

categorise another group of orphans as social orphans and defines them as ‘abandoned or

dumped children whose parents cannot be traced’ (Ministry of Local Government, Lands

and Housing, Social Wellfare Division 1999). For purposes of this report, both definitions

cited above will be used. A vulnerable child is a child who is either orphaned or is living

in crisis situations due to multiple causes. Such situations may result in prostitution or to

living on the street. These are children who belong to high-risk groups and lack access to

basic social facilities. Risk is identified in terms of malnutrition, morbidity, death and loss

of education (World Bank and UNICEF 2002).

Findings from the Rapid Assessment on the situation of orphans in Botswana as cited by

the Ministry of Health (1998) indicate that many orphans do not have basic necessities

such as food, clothing, shelter and toiletries. The assessment also established that their

human rights are violated, not only by society, but also by caregivers in some cases. The

other problem that orphans face is that many caregivers are elderly grandparents who live

in poverty and are in some cases supported through the destitute programme or the old￾age pension scheme.

Though the problem of orphans is not new in Botswana, the advent of HIV/AIDS has

contributed significantly to the escalating orphan problems in the country. In 1999, the

number of registered orphans was 21 209 and the number doubled to 42 000 in 2003.

Available data in the country shows that HIV/AIDS prevalence in all the districts is similar,

which means that all districts are affected. This suggests that the problems of orphans

and their needs should also be similar across all the districts. However, according to the

Botswana 2003 Second-Generation HIV Surveillance Report (National AIDS Coordinating

Agency 2003), HIV prevalence rates by districts show Kweneng West (includes

Letlhakeng) has an HIV prevalence of 27.0%, Kweneng East 32.1% (includes Molepolole),

Serowe/Palapye 43.3% (includes Serowe and Palapye), Mahalapye 37.4% Southern 25.7%

(includes Kanye) and Ngamiland 38.4% (includes Maun).

Given the magnitude of the problem, the government has declared the orphan problem a

national crisis needing immediate and long-term sustainable interventions by the various

stakeholders.

chApter฀1