14 Feb 2022

Women Against Rape (WAR) has launched an audio book titled Expressing Experiences, which is a perspective on GBV, HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy and child and parent communication.

The audio book is an interpretation of hard copy books that were produced in 2018, to relay real life stories on GBV, HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy and child parent communication as experienced by learners from 20 schools in 10 districts across Botswana.

Presenting the project objectives at the launch in Maun recently, WAR project officer, Bobedi Samoxhose stated stories featured in the book were narrated by 20 pipils from Maun and Palapye schools.

She said WAR saw it fit to engage a girl-child to tell the stories in order to capture the essence of the experiences of their peers who had gone through a daunting journey.

She said even though the voices narrating the audio book were not of the story owners, it felt right to empower an adolescent girl-child to tell the stories.

Samoxhose said it was imperative to give children an opportunity to deliberate issues that they faced on a daily basis.

The readers coach, Legodile Seganabeng said children went through voice over training in Palapye and Maun respectively.

He said the use of pupils for narration was intentional as they were able to capture the raw essence of the messages, adding that the stories were relatable to some of them.

Seganabeng stated that the story writers  intended for the stories to have an impact on whoever read the hard copy books. Seganabeng, a teacher by profession stated that every story in the book had a take home message.

“Our aim is for the listener to feel the story and we hope the stories reach people around the world,’’Seganabeng stated.

He said he believed there were people somewhere, who would identify with at least one story in the book.

North West District regional education director, Brown Sethapelo said books promoted a culture of reading in children, adding that audio books were more convenient because one could carry them everywhere in a USB or phone.

He said GBV, HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy and child parent communication issues, should be discussed in every school because children faced them on a daily basis.

Sethapelo commended WAR for engaging young girls on the project, noting that many girls around the world would be able to identify and relate with the stories as they were told by young voices.

He urged learners to desist from any behaviour which might put them in a vulnerable position and focus on education.

Pupils in attendance asked parents to improve communication and not shun them when they wanted to discuss sex education.

The learners highlighted that the Setswana culture prevented children from talking about sex even though it was evident that children as young as 10 years were sexually active.

The learners further called on parents, teachers, NGOs, social workers, police and community to highlight emotional and psychological abuse in their discussions as it was very common on social media platforms. ENDS