30 Oct 2019

A lot of information about HIV/AIDS has been shared and funds channelled towards prevention and care, yet Botswana’s prevalence rate continues to grow. 

The Botswana AIDS Impacts Survey IV(BAIS IV) conducted in 2013 indicates that the prevalence rate stood at an estimated 18.5 per cent, with a possibility of an increase due to new infections recorded each year.

Consequently, a 47-year-old community health nurse at Moshupa District Health Management Team (DHMT), Ibo Kgwarae decided to do her part by using her work experience to address HIV/AIDS issues through the pen.

Titled When Love Hurts, the 69-page book is intended to tackle issues such as stigma and discrimination in a fictitious way in an attempt to get the message across.

“The book advocates for behavioural change, but also emphasises the need to re-visit important moral values in Setswana culture such as Botho and respect for other people.

Having trained and worked as a Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) counsellor, I realised that there were a lot of people, especially men, who were not knowledgeable on HIV matters,” explained the Francistown-born nurse.

In an endeavour to target young people, who are the hardest hit, she uses a young Christian character named Dineo to put her message across.

Dineo started off as a well-behaved girl who was raised well until temptation took over when she was in her late teens. What began as a seemingly good taste of a love life soon turned into a miserable life full of tears, deceit and betrayal that begot her HIV.

Even though Dineo’s character is not reflected as promiscuous, her ignorance left her a heartbroken single parent, who had to deal with her HIV status in a more positive way.

“Through Dineo’s experience, I intend to encourage parents to teach their children about life and sexual matters.

I also want couples to make it a habit to test together for transparency and to reduce stigma. It is because of this stigma that we continue to have new infections even of new born babies, yet initiatives such as PMTCT are there,” said Kgwarae.

Throughout the read, there are various characters that the author uses to depict the general perception of HIV/AIDS matters by certain groups classified by age and sex, among others.

It is through their roles that she sensitises readers on the myths and facts about the pandemic. However, Kgwarae also makes it a point to end the book on a positive note when Dineo and a couple of friends form a support group that educates the community on HIV related matters and what various local stakeholders have on offer.

Kgwarae singles out Botswana’s third president Dr Festus Mogae as one of the heroes who effectively used his influential position, not only to fight HIV/AIDS heads on, but also to rally support from international bodies to support the country in this regard.

“Dr Mogae’s efforts should be really appreciated and I wish he could be given more platforms to continue making an impact. We also need to see more community leaders speaking about HIV because despite all interventions, we keep getting more infections,” she laments.

When Love Hurts is expected to be officially launched in November, and will be distributed in strategic places such as schools, churches, book stores and any other places where it could be easily accessible to sexually active groups. ENDs