Poverty in rural areas: Women most affected
Just like many developing countries of the world, Botswana endeavors to see itself grow into a high income economy, and have her people live out of extreme poverty. Botswana is measuring its success through the Vision 2036 platform. This instrument seeks to achieve prosperity for all.[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”1,2,3″ ihc_mb_template=”1″ ]
The Vision 2036 has pillar number two, Human and Social Development, and its objectives are spiritual well-being, culture, health and wellness, youth and children’s well-being.
Quite significant and relevant to this news feature are social inclusion and equality, gender equality and skills development. Botswana says social inclusion is central to ending poverty and fostering shared prosperity as well as empowering the poor, and marginalized people, to take advantage of burgeoning opportunities.
The small landlocked country anticipates that by 2036, marginalized population groups will be empowered to positively contribute to the country‘s development.
It further stipulated that people living with disabilities and the elderly people will have equal access to services and socio-economic opportunities.
Social protection will continue to be provided to support the most vulnerable members of the society, according to Vision 2036.
These aspirations come at the backdrop of data available on poverty in Botswana. It is said that poverty is more pronounced in Female-Headed Households (FHHs) especially those residing in rural areas where employment opportunities are limited.
These rural areas include those in the Kgalagadi and Ghanzi region. They include villages in Kgalagadi North which are Hukuntsi, Hunhukwe, Inalegolo, Kang, Lehututu, Lokgwabe, Make, Monong, Ncaang, Ngwatle, Phuduhudu, Tshane, Ukwi, Zutswa.
In Kgalagadi South, the villages are Bogogobo, Bokspits, Bray, Gachibana, Khisa, Khuis, Khawa, Kokosha, Kolonkwane, Makopong, Maleshe, Maralaleng, Maubelo, Middlepits, Omaweneno, Phepheng, Rapples Pan, Struizendam, Tsabong, Vaalhoek and Werda.
Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2010 says the proportion of the FHHs to the total poor increased between 2002 and 2010.
Over the years, Botswana has maintained Africa’s top position in transparency and good governance indexes, and it is deemed a shining beacon of democracy on the continent.
Despite such progress and accolades, Botswana has a high income inequality with the Gini Index estimated at 0.645 in 2010, placing the country amongst the most unequal in terms of disposable income (Statistics Botswana, 2013).
According to the 2014 World Economic Forum Report, Botswana ranked 51 out of the 142 countries, placing it higher than South Africa and Namibia with regard to the Global Gender Gap Index (GGI).
Although overall income poverty has been on the decline, the total share of the poor has been dominated by women.
Female-Headed Households accounted for about 54% of the total poor in 2003 and the figure had increased to about 60% by 2010, this is according to report by Statistics Botswana in 2013.
Moreover, the total decline in household poverty was higher, 56%, for the Male-Headed Households (MHHs) compared to FHHs 45% in the same year. The high incidences of poverty amongst women could be an indication that poverty alleviation programs are not effective in targeting the most vulnerable.
Perhaps it is an indication of the failure in the system to redistribute resources and opportunities fairly and equitably. One of the key contributing factors is that women constitute the majority of the unemployed, both in rural and urban Botswana. Between 2009 and10, the female unemployment rate stood at 21%, compared to 14% for males (Statistics Botswana 2013).
Research Expert covering historical data, Aaron O’Neil says unemployment rate in Botswana increased to 23.30% in 2020 from 18.20% in 2019.
Ministry of Finance through the budget speech presented by Minister Peggy Serame said unemployment rose to 26% in the fourth quarter of 2021, up from 22.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019, before the pandemic.
She said the implementation of the Poverty Eradication Programme has continued during the pandemic, albeit at much reduced levels. Since the start of the programme in 2012/13, a total of 40 641 projects had been funded up to the end of July 2021.
Of these, she said 29 635 are reported to be still operational, employing 34 716 people, either as direct beneficiaries or employed by the projects. Sixty percent of the projects are in agriculture, with the remainder spread across manufacturing, food services, and general services.
Unfortunately, many projects have been adversely impacted by reduced activity during the pandemic, which resulted in a number of failures and closures.
Over the ten years since the programme started, a total of P1.28 billion has been provided for establishing projects, capacity building and programme management.
In an exclusive interview with this public, Ghanzi South Member of Parliament (MP) Motsamai Motsamai said his Constituency is made up of many settlements, which are occupied by the Basarwa tribes. He said a lot needs to be done in order to fight poverty in the Kgalagadi region, emphasizing the sustainable and optimal use of natural resources to transform and uplift the livelihoods of people in the Kgalagadi and Ghanzi regions.
“We need to target people’s interest of survival and how these people have been surviving over the years. It is not appropriate to dictate to them on how to survive. If we can take HanaHana as a case study, there is ample Kgwengwe in the area and the fruit is good in the production of cosmetics. These people need to be supported with establishing factories in order for them to economically survive.”
He said protecting these natural resources and monetizing them can be done through creation of Trusts in the region.
“These Trusts will then ensure that they use the money to connect running water into their households. And what I envision is for these households in the Kgalagadi and Ghanzi regions not to pay for water bills and government should be in a position to incur such costs. After all, the Vision 2036 pillar, Sustainable Development, talks about Botswana having water security, so government should live the talk.”
Motsamai shunned government’s food basket programme, saying “It shouldn’t be the case all the time that when someone is lacking they should be given food.
“What government needs to do in helping female headed households, which are hard hit by poverty, is that most of them are enrolled for the Ipelegeng programme. There is a Women Affairs programme that encourages women to apply for drought-relief initiatives to empower themselves. You will find that these programmes are underfunded and they cannot improve someone’s livelihood anyhow. In unfortunate circumstances, some don’t even find the funds.”
The MP stressed that before dispersing initiatives, government needs to do due diligence and find out what best works for people in a certain region.
“Government needs to do thorough research accordingly tackling all the settlements, to find out what needs to be done to eradicate poverty. This policy of one size firsts all is not appropriate at all. Not only poverty, we know that Botswana is one of the countries of the world with people who are miserable and not happy. The most affected people are women, especially those who are singly heading families.”
INFOGRAPHICS
| YEAR | UNEMPLOYMENT RATE |
| 2021 | 24.7% |
| 2020 | 24.9% |
| 2019 | 22.6% |
| 2018 | 22.0% |
| 2017 | 21.5% |
| 2016 | 21.0% |
| 2015 | 20.5% |
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News
Nigerians, Zimbabweans apply for Chema Chema Fund
Fronting activities, where locals are used as a front for foreign-owned businesses, have been a long-standing issue in Botswana. These activities not only undermine the government’s efforts to promote local businesses but also deprive Batswana of opportunities for economic empowerment, officials say. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has warned of heavy penalties for those involved in fronting activities especially in relation to the latest popular government initiative dubbed Chema Chema.
According to the Ministry, the Industrial Development Act of 2019 clearly outlines the consequences of engaging in fronting activities. The fines of up to P50,000 for first-time offenders and P20,000 plus a two-year jail term for repeat offenders send a strong message that the government is serious about cracking down on this illegal practice. These penalties are meant to deter individuals from participating in fronting activities and to protect the integrity of local industries.
“It is disheartening to hear reports of collaboration between foreigners and locals to exploit government initiatives such as the Chema Chema Fund. This fund, administered by CEDA and LEA, is meant to support informal traders and low-income earners in Botswana. However, when fronting activities come into play, the intended beneficiaries are sidelined, and the funds are misused for personal gain.” It has been discovered that foreign nationals predominantly of Zimbabwean and Nigerian origin use unsuspecting Batswana to attempt to access the Chema Chema Fund. It is understood that they approach these Batswana under the guise of drafting business plans for them or simply coming up with ‘bankable business ideas that qualify for Chema Chema.’
Observers say the Chema Chema Fund has the potential to uplift the lives of many Batswana who are struggling to make ends meet. They argue that it is crucial that these funds are used for their intended purpose and not siphoned off through illegal activities such as fronting. The Ministry says the warning it issued serves as a reminder to all stakeholders involved in the administration of these funds to ensure transparency and accountability in their disbursement.
One local commentator said it is important to highlight the impact of fronting activities on the local economy and the livelihoods of Batswana. He said by using locals as a front for foreign-owned businesses, opportunities for local entrepreneurs are stifled, and the economic empowerment of Batswana is hindered. The Ministry’s warning of heavy penalties is a call to action for all stakeholders to work together to eliminate fronting activities and promote a level playing field for local businesses.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s warning of heavy penalties for fronting activities is a necessary step to protect the integrity of local industries and promote economic empowerment for Batswana. “It is imperative that all stakeholders comply with regulations and work towards a transparent and accountable business environment. By upholding the law and cracking down on illegal activities, we can ensure a fair and prosperous future for all Batswana.”
News
Merck Foundation and African First Ladies mark World Health Day 2024
Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany marks “World Health Day” 2024 together with Africa’s First Ladies who are also Ambassadors of MerckFoundation “More Than a Mother” Campaign through their Scholarship and Capacity Building Program. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation emphasized, “At Merck Foundation, we mark World Health Day every single day of the year over the past 12 years, by building healthcare capacity and transforming patient care across Africa, Asia and beyond.
I am proud to share that Merck Foundation has provided over 1740 scholarships to aspiring young doctors from 52 countries, in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties such as Oncology, Diabetes, Preventative Cardiovascular Medicine, Endocrinology, Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, Acute Medicine, Respiratory Medicine, Embryology & Fertility specialty, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Emergency and Resuscitation Medicine, Critical Care, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Neonatal Medicine, Advanced Surgical Practice, Pain Management, General Surgery, Clinical Microbiology and infectious diseases, Internal Medicine, Trauma & Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Cardiology, Stroke Medicine, Care of the Older Person, Family Medicine, Pediatrics and Child Health, Obesity & Weight Management, Women’s Health, Biotechnology in ART and many more”.
As per the available data, Africa has only 34.6% of the required doctors, nurses, and midwives. It is projected that by 2030, Africa would need additional 6.1 million doctors, nurses, and midwives*. “For Example, before the start of the Merck Foundation programs in 2012; there was not a single Oncologist, Fertility or Reproductive care specialists, Diabetologist, Respiratory or ICU specialist in many countries such as The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Guinea, Burundi, Niger, Chad, Ethiopia, Namibia among others. We are certainly creating historic legacy in Africa, and also beyond. Together with our partners like Africa’s First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Gender, Education and Communication, we are impacting the lives of people in the most disadvantaged communities in Africa and beyond.”, added Senator Dr. Kelej. Merck Foundation works closely with their Ambassadors, the African First Ladies and local partners such as; Ministries of Health, Education, Information & Communication, Gender, Academia, Research Institutions, Media and Art in building healthcare capacity and addressing health, social & economic challenges in developing countries and under-served communities. “I strongly believe that training healthcare providers and building professional healthcare capacity is the right strategy to improve access to equitable and quality at health care in Africa.
Therefore, I am happy to announce the Call for Applications for 2024 Scholarships for young doctors with special focus on female doctors for our online one-year diploma and two year master degree in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties, which includes both Online Diploma programs and On-Site Fellowship and clinical training programs. The applications are invited through the Office of our Ambassadors and long-term partners, The First Ladies of Africa and Ministry of Health of each country.” shared Dr . Kelej. “Our aim is to improve the overall health and wellbeing of people by building healthcare capacity across Africa, Asia and other developing countries. We are strongly committed to transforming patientcare landscape through our scholarships program”, concluded Senator Kelej.
News
Interpol fugitive escapes from Botswana
John Isaak Ndovi, a Tanzanian national embroiled in controversy and pursued under a red notice by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), has mysteriously vanished, bypassing a scheduled bail hearing at the Extension 2 Magistrate Court in Gaborone. Previously apprehended by Botswana law enforcement at the Tlokweng border post several months earlier, his escape has ignited serious concerns.
Accused of pilfering assets worth in excess of P1 million, an amount translating to roughly 30,000 Omani Riyals, Ndovi has become a figure of paramount interest, especially to the authorities in the Sultanate of Oman, nestled in the far reaches of Asia.
The unsettling news of his disappearance surfaced following his failure to present himself at the Extension 2 Magistrate Court the preceding week. Speculation abounds that Ndovi may have sought refuge in South Africa in a bid to elude capture, prompting a widespread mobilization of law enforcement agencies to ascertain his current location.
In an official communiqué, Detective Senior Assistant Police Commissioner Selebatso Mokgosi of Interpol Gaborone disclosed Ndovi’s apprehension last September at the Tlokweng border, a capture made possible through the vigilant issuance of the Interpol red notice.
At 36, Ndovi is implicated in a case of alleged home invasion in Oman. Despite the non-existence of an extradition treaty between Botswana and Oman, Nomsa Moatswi, the Director of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), emphasized that the lack of formal extradition agreements does not hinder her office’s ability to entertain extradition requests. She highlighted the adoption of international cooperation norms, advocating for collaboration through the lenses of international comity and reciprocity.
Moatswi disclosed the intensified effort by law enforcement to locate Ndovi following his no-show in court, and pointed to Botswana’s track record of extraditing two international fugitives from France and Zimbabwe in the previous year as evidence of the country’s relentless pursuit of legal integrity.
When probed about the potential implications of Ndovi’s case on Botswana’s forthcoming evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Moatswi reserved her speculations. She acknowledged the criticality of steering clear of blacklisting, suggesting that this singular case is unlikely to feature prominently in the FATF’s assessment criteria.