AOET Botswana started in February of 2005 as a result of a brief trip by the Executive/ founding Director – Sam Tushabe; when a trip to find his roots ended with an amazing country program being founded.
Since 2005, AOET Botswana has seen a lot of growth.
Starting with only 2 Staff, now the program besides paid staff has a host of local Tswana volunteers as well as international Teams especially from Finland.
The program has established relationships in Finland that not only help fund some of the programs, but visit on an annual basis to help AOET Botswana with Program design, community Assessment programs, and so much more.
AOET Botswana decided to run with ONLY one from AOETs, many objectives – HEALTH.
This however, they don’t run the way AOET Uganda and AOET Zambia do.
AOET Botswana’s concentration is on PREVENTION of diseases through provision of Clean and Safe Drinking water.
We all know that dirty drinking water in most of Africa is responsible for unbelievable numbers of deaths.
Look at this quote:
“1.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water. 2.6 billion people lack adequate sanitation. 1.8 million people die every year from diarrhoeal diseases, including 90 % of children under 5. This situation is no longer bearable.
To face the crisis, the United Nations formulated an amount of so called Millennium Development Goals, dedicated to reduce poverty and ensure sustainable development. Goal number 7, target 10 is the following one: "Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe water and basic sanitation.
In order to meet the water supply and sanitation target, an additional 260 000 people per day up to 2015 should gain access to improved water sources and an additional 370 000 people per day should gain access to improved sanitation.
WHO 2004).
AOET Botswana is building on Millennium Development Goal number 7, target 10 (AOET objective number 3) to strengthen communities in the area of Prevention of infectious diseases, and this, AOET is doing through provision of Clean/Safe Drinking water.
AOET Botswana Started by providing ONLY 1 borehole for a few families. Now, based out of Francistown, Logan and his team are in 3 regions of the country doing just that: - providing clean and Safe Drinking water.
Some of the activities carried out include
- Protecting natural springs from contamination by Animals and poor care by residents (doing laundry, Bathing… in the water source) by building dykes and filtration systems
- Drilling Shallow and Deep Wells
- De-worming communities before clean water is provided (to avoid contamination)
- Educating Communities and Children/young Adults in Schools about preventing water borne diseases
A chief in one of the benefiting villages.
