ABC Testing

Andy C and Anthony  reflect on our time so far in Francistown. 

Thursday started with the team splitting into 3 group, I went to a high school where we had about 40 kids aged between 14-16 years old. I love working with this age group as this is one of my strengths and we get to speak to them in more detail about HIV/AIDS and what it means for them as individual. 

We talk to the boys very briefly about making sure they use a condom and to make sure it is on correctly and not too tight or loose and then talk to the girls about making sure if they are going to have sex that the boys wear the condom, and that if they are HIV positive that they can get treatment and the girls can protect their unborn baby if they get the medication they need. 

The team is doing a great job over here in soaring heat of 35+ degrees. We all love going to the local supermarket [Choppies] at lunchtime and eating some delicious food. I personally prefer the rice and chicken stew with fruit chutney flavoured crisps – yummy. 

I (Andy C) have been to Shashe River Secondary school today for the 3rd time this week, we had 40 13-16 year olds which Greg, Brian and I started the sessions off with the good old relay races (Combining coloured cones to Football Teams works well here!). Followed by a really good game of Rapid fire, a sure way to get (healthy competition) mixed with maximum hits of the ball.

In the afternoon we visited the most well behaved primary school I am sure we will visit, searing heat was taking its toll on all of us let alone the children so mixing breaks with relays, cross-fire game and a new work in progress game of 5 Cone Lords Game ensued – it was great to see one of the coaches from the Coach Ed work we have been doing at the school actively taking a part in the session and also the Head Teacher and Head of Sport at the school interested in knowing more about the work that we are doing.

We rounded off the day with a visit to Clement’s Sons Private School we were welcomed by 12 players some of which are in the Combined Schools Team for Francistown – here Robbie and Greg did some more familiar cricket based warm ups then we followed with a 5 x 8 Ball over game. 

Canny swing and spin proved their undoing as we restricted them to 26 for 8 !, despite Clement dropping the archetypal ‘dolly’ and being sent to umpiring duty instead…We sent in Robbie and Andy B who along with Brian secured victory in little over 3 overs…finally a win overseas!

Personal reflections

I [Anthony] so far in Botswana find some days difficult as most likely a big proportion of these kids will have been affected or infected by this horrible disease. Watching these kids play and care for each other is such a great sight to see and makes me reflect on my job and beliefs back at home in England. 
This also brings back memories from my own upbringing and culture back home in Guyana, watching people struggle to afford their own shopping in a supermarket is heart breaking. In England there are Food Banks you can go to etc…. while over here there is no such thing. 

This has really challenged me in how I see the world and what I can do to make a small difference for kids and their families that are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. When I get back to the UK I will be exploring ways I can get more involved with CWB to see how I can help raise awareness about the work they do in the different countries in Africa and I hope to return on another trip soon.

I (Andy C) as a first timer on a CWB project didn’t really know what to expect from Botswana but have been really pleased with our time in Francistown, a dust bowl with searing heat at times, but a wonderfully welcoming town, with everyone really interested about our work we are doing.

The children are the reason why we are here and sometimes with the Primary school ages it is difficult as some speak very little English whereas some are fluent but they all know their ABC messages and by reiterating these in any format then we are doing our job correctly. I have enjoyed working with the Secondary school age in particular as we can have a more adult conversation about the Protection and Testing messages. So today is our last day in Francistown as we move onto to Maun over the weekend and on to hotter climbs. 

Andy C’s Comedy Moments (so far) :-

1) High Catch Demo – Nose, Ear, Spin, Catch…..fall on floor in middle of group

2) Bat Hockey Relay Demo – Run through one set of cones head down and end up in the wrong group

3) Singing and Clapping – Starting a song with Primary School children, singing the wrong words and clapping in the wrong rhythm

4) Leading 40 kids from my Bowling Station to the next station to realise I had just taken them back to the station where they had just been…

I am sure they will be more in Maun.