Introduction
Botswana's Vision 2016 began in August 1996 with a nine person Presidential Task Group. These capable individuals produced a booklet entitled "A Framework for a Long Term Vision for Botswana". The Vision 2016 is available on Botswana's national website, and it is briefly presented below with its underlying principles.
The ultimate goal of the proposal outlined here is to assist the Batswana* in achieving this vision as it is reflected in the welfare of and services to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).
Botswana National Vision 2016
Botswana will be an educated and informed nation. All people will be able to have good quality education that is adapted to the needs of the country. Schooling will be universal and compulsory to the secondary level. Good quality vocational and technical training will be available at secondary level and beyond as an alternative to academic study. Entrepreneurship and business skills will be an integral part of all schooling. No student will be disadvantaged by ethnic origin, gender, language or remoteness of settlement. Botswana will be in the forefront of information technology with state of the art computer and communications equipment, and will play a full part in the coming information age. All people will have access to telephones, national newspapers, radio and television services, and to computer equipment. Information about the operations of Government or other organisations will be freely available to all citizens.
By the year 2016, Botswana will be a prosperous, productive and innovative nation. Batswana will be a hard working and disciplined people with a diversified economy. Agriculture, industry, mining and services will be productive and vital components of economic activity.
Batswana's development will be sustainable, and will take account of the preservation of the environment and renewable resources. Incomes in Botswana will have been raised closer to those in developed nations. All Batswana. male and female will have the opportunity of paid employment, access to good quality housing, as well as increased resource ownership.
By the year 2016, Botswana will be a compassionate and caring nation. Income will be distributed equitably. Poverty will have been eradicated, and there will be an efficient social safety net for those who suffer misfortune. All Batswana will have access to good quality health services, sanitation and nutrition. The negative impact of the AIDS epidemic in Botswana will have been halted and reversed.
By the year 2016, Botswana will be a safe and secure nation. Violent crime will have been eliminated, and there will be full protection of individual rights. Batswana will have confidence in law enforcement agencies, and standards of road safety will be high. The people and borders of Botswana will be protected by a small, disciplined and accountable national defense force.
By the year 2016, Botswana will be an open, democratic and accountable nation. There will be a system of decentralized democracy and political tolerance. Civil society will play a full part in the development of the country, alongside government. The nation's leaders will be open and accountable to the people. The role of traditional leaders will have been enhanced. Freedom of expression as well as press freedom will be fully protected.
By the year 2016, Botswana will be a moral and tolerant nation. There will be high standards of personal morality, and tolerant social attitudes towards people of different cultures, ethnic traditions, religions or disabilities.
By the year 2016, Botswana will be a united and proud nation, sharing common ideals, goals and symbols. Society will be under-pinned by resilient family values with a strong sense of tradition and pride in its history.
Review of Current OVC Supports
In a 2004 comprehensive review of literature about OVC interventions in Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa, the author indicated that among the important lessons learned is that the principle interventions should be home based and community supported. The proposed project embodies this model of service. (Anna Strebel, The Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of Interventions for the Care of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, HSRC Publishers, 2004).
Implications of Vision for Services
The large and growing population of OVC epitomizes Botswana's need to develop a national strategy and infrastructure for providing services to its citizens. With over 30,000 OVC already identified, many of the key concepts of Vision 2016 are already challenged.
The population of OVC presents significant learning problems due to their high incidence of mental health and developmental issues. In order to allow the OVC to become part of an educated, informed nation, these issues must be addressed.
Unless the problems of the OVC are successfully resolved, a substantial portion of this population is at risk for being unable to contribute to a prosperous, productive and innovative nation. Instead, they may become a permanent fiscal burden to the nation.
In order to be a compassionate and caring nation, Botswana will require an effective national infrastructure for addressing the needs of its vulnerable citizens.
In order to achieve an open, democratic and accountable nation, Botswana’s infrastructure will require the development of a science-based oversight system so that the scope and effectiveness of national services can be objectively measured.
Many of the OVC are currently presenting forms of disability. A moral and tolerant nation must address the needs of such individuals in a manner that reflects national policy.
For those OVC who have lost their families, the achievement of resilient family values and a strong sense of tradition and pride will require significant intervention.
For the complete proposal click on Click here for OVC on the Menu
* The word Batswana refers to the people of Botswana
