Touch down; Team HERO has landed in Botswana – an amazing country with such beautiful people
HERO is in Botswana not only to donate 500,000 custom designed condoms, but to also meet with Government officials and NGOs to discuss and implement a formal plan for distribution and how we can integrate our condoms into a best practice model for prevention of the spread of HIV/AIDS in Botswana. HERO have set some huge goals, committing to an adequate and regular supply of condoms that increases year on year with the growing support of Australian consumers and retailers. HERO will be doing everything that we can, to work with those on the ground to ensure our condoms are reaching those who need them the most.
Our first official meeting was with BONASO (Botswana Network of AIDS Services Organisations). BONASO is an umbrella body for AIDS service organisations and co-ordinates the civil society response to HIV/AIDS in Botswana. The meeting was very informative and HERO learned more of the plight of HIV/AIDS in Botswana and the devastating impact that this is having on the country. A BONASO representative outlined key statistics such as; approximately 15k new infections are reported each year and of the 80% of the population that is currently under 40 years old, 60% of these people do not know their HIV status. Although some of the items discussed in the meeting were confronting, the partnership opportunity with BONASO is very real and we can work alongside them to create further positive social impact.
The Ministry of Health was our next official meeting, an exciting partnership opportunity to work in collaboration with the Government of Botswana and to help co-ordinate the distribution of HERO condoms via the Central Medical Stores. This was a very important meeting for HERO; establishing these types of partnerships will ensure a regular supply of HERO condoms will reach communities across the country.
Day 2 of our journey, saw us we meet-up with our local points of contact that have been instrumental in driving the HERO vision in Botswana and assisting with both the education of the safe sex message and also how HERO are a company here to stay. Working with our one of our existing local partners Salim Thabang Kegodile who operates ‘Bona Naledi’, a youth based NGO focusing on creating a generation of youth that are well informed of the dangers of alcohol and substance abuse and to adopt lifelong healthy habits, we were able to start to plan our activity across the coming days. Salim’s assistance has allowed HERO to implement education initiatives and workshops, concerts and football tournaments where HERO condoms will be handed out to the community.
Once we had our strategy in place with Salim, team HERO made our way to the National Stadium, to meet the locals at football game between the Township Rollers V The Motlakase Power Dynamos. It was the first opportunity to show our donation condoms to the community and to gain their initial feedback. We were met with a resounding acceptance of our condoms, something that truly makes the hard work to date all worthwhile.
We feel so lucky to have the opportunity to be on this journey and we could not do it without the support of our customers and our retailers in Australia!