Given their strong and exceedingly recognized voice in the fight against the HIV and AIDS pandemic in Botswana, BONELA has re-engineered its strategies to move forward with their mandate as part of their transitional process as enshrined in their strategic plan 2007 to 2012.
Speaking at a Press Conference, the newly appointed Director, Uyapo Ndandi, said, “It was time for the organization to shed some unwanted skin and whip itself up to adapt to the current operating field and the challenges that HIV and AIDS poses to this country.”
To attain the chief objective and accomplish strategic results, BONELA has realized that the promotion and protection of human rights requires tireless effort and passionate leadership to sustain momentum.
Therefore, they have decided to mobilize communities at different levels, be it in schools, churches or workplaces to help in fighting stigma and discrimination in society.
Ndandi said, “We need to build a body of critical mass or activists that will help us to identify issues and run with them. Thereby achieving a human rights conscious and sensitive Batswana.”
As a staunch human rights activist, the new director announced his organization’s stand on the treatment given to marginalized HIV and AIDS people; that is prisoners, non citizens, refugees, gays and lesbians. He said it is the organization’s nature to react to situations where there is actual or potential infringement to the dignity, freedoms and lives of those affected by HIV and AIDS.
“BONELA is eager to influence a shift in policy by governments so that these marginalized groups can have access to life saving medication,” he said while urging the government to take seriously the issue of hardcore rapists in the prisons so as to protect other inmates from being infected.
He highlighted that over the years prisons have been breeding areas of HIV and AIDS and the only way to curb this is by providing condoms for prisoners.
Ndandi promised that it is only through litigation that they can make direct and meaningful impact to the lives of ordinary inhabitants.
He and his organization have promised to build and create a working relationship with lawyers to deal with the workload of cases they receive, especially cases outside Gaborone and cases falling outside of their mandate.
Currently, the organization has been offering legal aid through legal services, ranging from literacy workshops, litigation in some instances. In the same vein, Ndandi said they were going to approach doctors to provide pro bono medical services to clients they receive.
In addition, he appealed to doctors to come on board and assist in treatment, literacy training as they have the expertise.
Ndandi, who had been acting director at BONELA for six months, was officially elected as the new director of BONELA.
The 28-year-old Director joined BONELA after completing his law degree in 2006. However, Ndandi had been closely working with BONELA dating back as far as 2000. He helped in the training sessions of human rights and in the running of legal awareness workshops.
On the other hand Ndadi commended the government of Botswana’s effort for continuing to make ARVs accessible to Batswana for free. He said there is nothing legally or constitutionally obliging government to providing ARVs for free, especially in the light of the fact that the constitution does not recognize and guarantee socio-economic and cultural rights.
