Botswana:Mathodi Modisapudi

WELFARE OF THE GIRL CHILD

I am Honorable Councilor Mathodi Modisapudi, specially elected Councilor and youth commissioner for Botswana Association of Local Authorities (BALA). I sit on the four following council committees Health and social, Education, Housing and Gender. I attended my primary at Semolale Primary school and proceeded to Bobonong secondary school. After failing to proceed to senior level, I went to attend night school at Phikwe Intermediary school. I was born at Semolale Village in a family of 8 in Bobirwa Sub District on the 17^th of June 1975. I have started a business that serves the community and been married for 17 years and still happy. I started as a messenger and now a specially elected member of council. I have adopted a child who is now at senior school level. I became gender aware in 2015, after a year of being appointed Councillor for the North East District Council .From what I have learned, my main focus was the welfare of the girl child. To provide them with sanitary such as pads and toiletry. My vision is to see a nation in which women stand out from the shadows of oppression and direct influence. A nation in which women stand behind each other on issues of constitutional support and industrial interventions. A nation that recognizes the undiscovered potential of women and their worth.

Being confident in my line of work has encouraged me to support initiative like the one ‘REA NYALANA’ where I was able to motivate cohabiting old couples to enroll into the program and certify the partnership. My ability to express myself in forums have motivated women like to start believing in themselves and take up appointments with confidence. When dealing with people I put myself in their shoes so that I am able to see things from their perspective and assimilate with their day-to-day experience. This has helped me to strategies a better approach when dealing with matters that affect people on a daily basis, as I am able to see their world through their eyes.

The activities I have been engaged in includes, acting as the spokesperson of the Minister on issues surrounding gender based violence, destitute housing and economic empowerment programs. I also partake in gender related matters as evidenced by the involvement in committees such as Gender. Under this committee I am able to lead all gender activities initiated by the council. In 2018, I directed the Sanitary Pads initiative and empowered 5 women in business. I have also pioneered the Tsaya Brick Moulding Project and Advocated for allocation of land to people in need. Modisapudi has advocated for office of the District Commissioner to be stationed at Tatisiding and Mini-RAC Office. I support the Governmental social campaigns like 16 Days of Activism. I work with couple’s seminar ensuring that people of the opposite sex to live together and work with young women to empower them to start their businesses and employ others as a way of fighting unemployment in this country.

The challenges that are being encountered in my workplace are mainly caused by the segregation of committees that deal with same issues or classification of these vulnerable groups. The most part of my work is primarily to serve as a supporting structure to women on issues of governance and also to encourage positive workplace and policy and practice.

The future plans is to do more in ensuring that  they will be 50/50 balance on issues of Governance, workplace policy and practice. Putting  little effort  will contribute to the local economic development and  be improved by recruiting more vulnerable people to be engaged in small scale business ventures so as to improve their lives. I also plan to support and champion infrastructure and social development, end violence, empower women and support a clearset out gender management system.