Botswana – REGINAH LESEDINYANA MOJAPHOKO


Date: September 19, 2018
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“I shall pass through this world once, for anything that I can do to human kind or anything that I can do to anything, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass through this way again” 

In 2013 I was presenting the project under the category climate change and sustainable  development. Winning at national and at regional summit was a dream come true. 

It was not about winning the presentation but it was about the changes that you have done being appreciated. Seeing yourself driving a project which is recognised nationally and internationally as an outstanding project gives the driver a qualification of number one driver of change. 

I am working as Chief Housing Technician at Housing Division (Self Help Housing Agency – SHHA). My main duty is to help the low income beneficiary with allocation of state land at a very high subsidised rate and to help them build the houses in the plots allocated at a zero interest rate loan. The loans cover the plots at villages. For 22 years I have worked as a policy implementer. I have worked in 5 different municipalities in 5 different organisations implementing different government policies. This is where I have learnt to help the marginalised group.  

I have learnt about Gender Links in 2011 when Rachael B, Jeremia transferred to Chobe District Council as Council Secretary. On her arrival she introduced and forms a Gender Committee by appointing us from different department. She addressed the committee immediately and that’s where she told us about our mandate and introduces Gender Links and the summit as a way of monitoring and evaluation In the same year we took part in the cyber dialogue which was one of activities performed during the 16 days against Gender Base Violence. We communicated with Gender Links together with other councils on how they are handling the issues of Gender Base Violence. The champion retrieves the Chobe District Gender Action Plan and helps us to evaluate what we have done according to action plan. We compile the actions and activities and she helped us to put it in a form of presentation. In 2012 we presented as Centre Of Excellence at the National Summit at Gaborone where we proceeded to the Regional Summit in Gaborone. We also presented one of the leaders of Chobe being Kgosi Banika mainstreaming gender and equality where we took the runner up position. 

The presentation of the Centre of Excellence was a light bulb for me because we were just documenting our day to day duties and activities that we are performing because 95% of them are gender mainstreaming. Another cashing moment was the presentation of Kgosi Banika’s project. The presentation of project under the category Climate Change and Sustainable Development and the awards both national and regional summits. Also a study trip to Mossel Bay South Africa as an award for all winners of 2013 regional summit for Centre of Excellence. 

My passion to help the marginalised group has grown so much. This created the ability to see the gap and come up with ideas and efforts to fill it. 

There is still lack of knowledge and false concepts in the issues of gender and equality in this country. Even though we are mainstreaming it on daily basis especially the government sector we do not know that we are implementing it. The country is busy empowering the marginalised group, that eradicating poverty and at the end of the day they are empowering women because they are the ones that are affected. This has led to under reporting on the efforts and impact the country is doing concerning empowering women because we think they are not relevant. This is addressed through workshops and gender summits where we interact with other countries and see and hear what they are reporting concerning their day to day objectives and activities.  Now I know what to report neither I do it by chance or through gender policies.