Saying Goodbye

The last day at Women Against Rape

The last day at WAR was filled with a sense of excitement and there was a buzz in the air that surrounded my leaving.  At one point, during the mid-morning there were several staff members with cameras taking pictures of us as though to hold on long to the memories.  I realized that I was not taking any pictures but posing for others as each person wanted their own picture of me or with me. We were caught up in the moment being silly and simply enjoying each other’s company for the last time.  

Lunch was served quite late as it involved ‘brining the meat’ and then getting firewood to cook the meat on a fire pit.  I think by the time we were ready to eat I felt emotionally spent, but the staff went around the room with each person saying something they appreciated about me. With my heart already overflowing, they then started to give me the gifts they had for me and reading aloud the words they had written.   It was emotional as they thanked me for my humor, warmth and laughter to the team and my patience and humility. I was deeply touched, by their kind words and by the gifts which were meaningful and reflected shared moments.   

I of course had a surprise in return, a cake ordered and hidden from them to express my appreciation for their kindness in welcoming me so warmly into their agency.

My month in Maun was a deeply enriching experience that has certainly forever shaped how I look at the world.   

THE SENSE OF PEACE

How do I describe my experience in Maun? I really have no words.  I know that the comments and feedback especially  on Facebook consistently have stated that in my photos I appear to be having so much fun and I seem so peaceful.   I have felt a deep sense of; I don’t know what here in this land.  I am undoubtedly in the “country” the air is fresh and clean and there is a certain unhurried presence.  I am at peace with me and with my surroundings.  There is always an assumption that I belong, if not from here, then from somewhere on the continent.  One day, a man came up as I was standing in the parking lot, shook my hands, yes randomly like that, but then he stated, he realized I was not a typical Ghanaian woman as he assumed, when I did not do the proper handshake.  I never did learn the handshake.  Sometimes I became so caught up in conversations it seemed that I was trying to absorb whether by dialogue or osmosis years of history and culture. There was always something new and fascinating and people were always willing it seems to share.

KGOTLA

I had the privilege of visiting a Kgotla and without an appointment the Chief who happened to be female took more than ten minutes of her time to talk to me about her experiences. Although she was the first born in her family, her brother inherited the chiefdom, but since he chose politics she was acting on his behalf in the Kgotla.  She while waiting for witnesses to arrive for a case she was presiding over, took time to share her personal experiences with me, a stranger.

In Botswana the Kgotla institution continues to play a vital role in addressing conflicts arising from within and between communities. The Kgotla is a traditional system which serves as a forum for policy formulations, decision making, including political and economic developmental activities and judiciary on litigation.  In the Kgotla the chief and headmen are seated in a semi-circle while listening to cases or in meetings. The face to face seating arrangement signifies the equality that exists in the Kgotla and the belief in ‘mafoko a matlhong’ (words are easily spoken out when facing each other).

OPENING THEIR HOMES

I had been taking lots of pictures of rondavels, the traditional huts, but had not been inside one and mentioned this to my colleagues while we were on our way to the Kgotla, after they laughed at my interest they decided that I should of course go in one that day. How does this happen?  

My colleague stated that she will just assess the friendliness of a strangers tone as we stood on the street, when they respond to Dumela and then simply ask if I can enter into their home. I could not follow the discussion between her and the first woman she approached but what ensued was that we were entering into the yard of the rondavel we were standing in front of and a stranger was welcoming me into his home. He told he how he had inherited the home from his father and was waiting for papers to be able to upgrade it with electricity and running water, but he already had a home of his own.  In Botswana, land is free to citizens. Again I was touched by the generosity of strangers to open and share their life with me with such ease.

I experienced this willingness to share again when I was invited to spend a night with a family who were basically strangers to me.  They were felt it was ridiculous for me to spend hundreds of pula on a hotel room that I would basically only to be in for less than seven hours as we were leaving for a Game drive at 4:30 am the following morning.  But in providing me with a bed the family chose to sleep on the floor. They stated it was their way of showing hospitality. I was beyond touched. 

THE JUXTAPOSITION

But for me there is also a jarring juxtaposition, the reason I am here, my mandate.  In assessing the policies and procedures of the shelter I realized that the counselors were exposed to a high level of vicarious and secondary trauma stress in their work with victims of gender based violence.  The atrocities stories of violence perpetrated against victims were heart wrenching and there were no processes established for Counsellors to debrief.   My mandate expanded somewhat to incorporate the impact of secondary trauma and developing tools to assist the Counsellors to work more effectively which ultimately would reduce compassion fatigue and increase their sharing and support of each other.  

http://wusc.ca/en/

DUMELA!

Dumela, the translation from Setswana means hello.  However, I soon discover that the word is used in a much richer context than just hello. It is used before breaking into a conversation, before starting a conversation, upon entering a room and seeing another as an acknowledgement of personhood.  One of my biggest challenges was recognizing and acknowledging the presence of others.  

In North America, we give precedence to people’s privacy.  When entering into public spaces, generally strangers don’t say hello to each other, or conversely staff don’t stay hello to people in waiting areas as they pass them. In Maun, I had to readjust my behavior when I entered into public spaces, be it a bank or the grocery store, and acknowledge, the presence of others, Dumela!

But perhaps most illuminating while at the office was the lack of conscious awareness of people who were sitting in the reception area as I walked by. There were times that I was comfortably in my North American mode, in which counselling is a private experience and people’s lives are private, therefore I could see people, yet not see them.  In my mind to protect their privacy, I would walk by the room and say nothing but would become aware of their piercing stares almost of censure and realize my mistake.  Dumela!

GRATITUDE

Overflowing Heart

My heart filled and overflowed with emotions, as I stood in the circle with the staff and their voices sang, harmoniously, beautifully and in such unison, the words, thank you Camille, thank you Camille, over and over again. I felt enveloped in such warmth as they expressed their appreciation in song for the gifts that I had brought.  Peggy, the executive director and I had found a way to divide these items so that everyone, staff and volunteers were receive some small token including a stylus type pen, a Humber bag (courtesy of the Human Rights and Diversity Committee, thanks Nancy), USB flash drive, socks, etc.  Their genuine appreciation of these small items was a pleasure to behold and their expression of gratitude was overwhelming.

I have to say thanks to Dentist Paul Sclodnick who donated toothbrushes and toothpaste to the shelter, and also to Pharmacist Ian Stewart for his generous donation of topical supplies for the shelter.  These items were all gratefully accepted on behalf of shelter residents.

Daily Routines

The work day starts at 8:00 am with the staff some sitting, some standing in a circle.  They start with prayers, and then hymn singing, followed by announcements. The day ends at 4:30 pm.  Everyone speaks in a mixture of English and Setswana, usually moving easily between the two languages with an obvious preference for Setswana.  While I cannot understand the language, I can somehow follow and capture the nuances of conversations.    I enjoy sitting at lunch time and listening to people speak, the sounds of their words cascading in an unfamiliar rhythm, yet comforting. I am an outsider, yet I have never felt as such.  Often times, I will hear someone remind others to speak in English, but I actually enjoy hearing them speak in Setswana. 

Communal Living

 I am still taken aback at their communal eating practices. I remain surprise at how easily and naturally someone will sit down next to a person who is eating and take their spoon and begin to share in the meal or see three staff members each with their own spoon sharing from the same lunch container. I am told to not share is to be seen as a bad person.  Even more surprising for me one day, was hearing one staff member expressed disappointment that he was left to eat alone after a fellow staff member took only a few bites and had to return to the office.  I cannot partake in the communal eating practices.  My North American values are deeply entrenched within me. I can’t see myself eating a piece of food (e.g. chicken) that some else was previously chewing on.

This has left me reflecting and I find myself marvelling at how we North American have become so individualistic that our plates when filled with food become something to be protected and it seen as such boundary violation, and utterly crass, to put your fork in another’s plate.  So little of what we have is seen as ours as communal. The people here have little but my sense is that they are willing to share the little they do have.

I saw this communal way of living also replicated in how the houses were arranged when I visited the villages. The homes consisted of circular huts, built with reeds or mud, had grass roofs and were usually surrounded by a pole or reed fence. Communal eating spaces are organized in the center. 

The paradox that remains for me is how is it that in a people who are so kind with each other, who demand that each must acknowledge the other, how is it there is such a high level of Intimate partner violence.  

STARTING THE MANDATE

ARRIVAL IN MAUN

I finally arrived in Maun on Wednesday July 2nd and was met at the airport with a warm embrace and the moving words, welcome home, by Peggy the Executive Director of Women Against Rape (WAR).

MEETING THE STAFF

The next morning I immediately started a typical work day at 8:00 am ending at 4:30 p.m.  The day began with staff and volunteers introducing themselves, by talking about what their names meant to them, what they intend to give for the next two days, and how they wanted to be remembered.  It was an interesting warm up with lots of laughter that set a great tone to the day.  There are three other Canadian volunteers here, two students on three months placements and a woman who is on a long term contract.  Additionally, during the course of the day about four or five American teenage males came to finish up some painting they were doing around the building.  As you can gather, or I concluded by mid-morning, this organization relies heavily on volunteer assistance.

STARTING THE MANDATE

To successfully accomplish my mandate I want to get a feel of the organization from the inside out rather than the outside in. I plan on interviewing the staff and become familiar with their policies and procedures. My first day was quite busy, I spent time in discussion with the senior counsellor, getting a background on the work they do, and on the organization.  In the afternoon we drove to the Safe house where I had my first one on one interview with a staff.  I was at first surprised, but pleasantly so, at how easily and comfortable she engaged in the process, how open she was with me about the challenges, struggles and frustration of her job.  Our discussion made me that much more aware of the universality of the basic Rogerian counselling skills of genuineness, empathy and unconditional positive regard.
When we returned to the office, I was asked to sign up for the next day planned pot-luck.  Since my cupboards were barren I headed to the grocery store where the prices constantly leave me doing a mental conversion.  While prices appear astronomical, I paid 35 pula for a whole chicken (about 4 dollars); by our standard prices are quite reasonable.

AWARENESS

I am starting to realize something about Botswana, you can come here enjoy yourself, in complete comfort and not see any poverty.  There is an illusion, a bubble which is difficult to explain.  A sharp discrepancy that exist that you just don’t see because of all the safari companies and all the private planes awaiting their owners for their safari adventures.
Botswana is supposedly one of the most unequal countries in the world based on income.  This inconsistency was brought sharply to my attention today when the young man who is assigned as my driver mentioned how he earns 500 pula per month from the government as he is on a training program, but his rent is 550. Each month he starts out at a financial deficit, but he finds ways to earn extra money, such as being my driver, selling breakfast to the staff, running a dance troupe.  Had I not engaged him in conversation I would not have known this, instead I would have seen a young man who owns a vehicle, goes to work and seems engaged in a lot of entrepreneurial activities.  I would have missed his struggles. I don’t want to in in any way to diminish his entrepreneurial spirit but I am becoming aware of how much of a bubble I live in while I am here.

I live in a gated compound, with electrified fences ( to keep out petty thieves I am told who may be after food), security and full maid service.  The pictures that I have taken present a life that is pretty pleasant, because that I has been my experience.  But that is not all there is to Botswana or Maun and I certainly intend to go below the surface, but forgive me if I present life as idyllic,  as I write this, I’ve only been in Maun three days and a week in Botswana.

 The Gateway to the Okavango Delta

Maun is considered a village with a population of 50,000 people. It is located just below the Okavango Delta in close proximity to the Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park. As a result of these two game rich areas there are opportunities to see the “Big 5″ (lions, rhinos, elephants, leopards and buffaloes) tourists may spend a night or two in Maun before leaving for their safari or mokoro trip.

The government of Botswana has focused on low volume, high cost tourism policy to provide sustainable development, protect the wildlife, and create employment opportunities for the local population. This however has made it prohibitive for the average Botswana to go on these safaris as cost can range upward from $400-per night.
While tourism has brought economic growth to Maun and the Ngamiland region, the area has the second highest poverty rate in Botswana. The poverty and disparities are hidden and one has to travel to the surrounding villages to see the real problems.
So my goal this week along with working on my mandate is to visit one of the surrounding villages to go beyond the bubble that I now inhabit.

Gaborone

Arriving in Gaborone

I lost track of how many days ago now since I left home and departed for Botswana.  It seems that the days have run seamlessly one into another as I take in this country as easy and naturally as I breathe. Yet I can’t claim to know Botswana, it’s people, nor its history. But what I feel is an ease, naturalness, un-strangeness, even as I am a stranger in a strange land.  The people of Botswana appear to look at others without judgement or malice.  A smile is met with a quick smile in return.  We are a gulf apart, in culture and language, yet I feel a knowing ease with them.  As though I am seen as a person, not quickly glanced over, undifferentiated from the furniture, from which I sit. 

The two days spent in Gaborone were packed and yet fun filled.  Another Canadian volunteer and I were given an orientation, by the WUSC staff on the processes of our mandate, the superintendent of police provided information on safety, and a lecturer from the university gave us a back ground of Botswana.   The superintendent took a look at me and said, he thought he was looking at a sister, my skin colouring similar to his was like that of the people who live in a town called Kanye.  I decided that I had found my people. 

The land is open with low buildings, it feels free, uncluttered and somewhat reminds me of parts of the Caribbean.  What I have seen so far of this country is well developed, including the roads and the malls.  This is amongst the reason that Aid agencies are planning on pulling out is that Botswana had the highest average economic growth rate in the world economy.  

The Challenges

The challenges so far have proven to be none challenges.  One of my concerns coming here was about food and getting used to a different diet.  I have not had to adjust, not that I am not willing to try a local diet. It is just not available around me instead, I have eaten Chinese food, Nando's, and chicken and ribs while watching the soccer match under the stars.

My first night I did come face to face with the largest spider that I had ever seen. It was not a fun experience, but I found the courage to smash it, yet even as I write that my stomach turns.

When we arrived I could not find one of my suitcases, the one that had all of my clothing, apparently someone had mistaken taken it home, but thankfully they returned it the next day. 

We, four volunteers from Canada each with a different mandate and different length of time here, spent time at the Mokolodi Nature Reserve after I missed my flight to Maun. I was struck by the vastness of this land existing in the midst of the city where animals roam freely. Mostly, I was fascinated by the giraffe.  It is a majestic animal, stately, graceful and peaceful. I felt that if I could just sit and stare at it for hours wishing that I could imbue the spirit that emanated from it. So far it has been a wonderful introduction to Botswana.

Heading to Botswana

The Adventure Begins

With great excitement, nervousness, anxiety and trepidation I am to preparing to leave my family and fly over 10,000 miles to spend the month of July in Maun, Botswana.

The excitement I initially felt about my first trip to the continent bumped into reality when I realized that I would be travelling alone for thirty hours. I DREAD FLYING.  Then the news got a little worse. I will not be able to celebrate my birthday with my family because of commitments in Botswana instead I will spend the day alone in Germany.

Leave For Change

The beginning of this adventure started a few months ago when I was selected by Uniterra to participate in the Leave for Change® Program.  Uniterra is a major Canadian program of international volunteer cooperation that helps reduce poverty and inequalities in 12 countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia.  Leave for Change® is a corporate volunteering initiative that enables employees to demonstrate leadership in corporate social responsibility, put their knowledge and skills to work in an international development project, expand their personal and professional horizons and acquire a deeper understanding of broader global issues. I am honoured to have been selected.

My Mandate: Women Against Rape (WAR)

Why am I doing this?  The simple answer is my firm belief  in a global community we are all responsible for each other. For me going to Botswana is fulfilling a very small part of my social responsibility.

I will be spending one month working at Women Against Rape (WAR) in Maun. It (WAR) is a human rights organization founded in 1993 to primarily support abused women, children and recently men by addressing the issues that contribute to their abuse. Their mission is to reduce the incidence and impact of violence through empowerment, providing support for survivors, public education and legal reform.

My mandate will be to review the operations, policies and procedures of their safe house, then develop a working manual, and implement and test its effective functioning with clients, staff, and stakeholders.

All of this to be done in four weeks, in a new culture with new staff.  Piece of cake, right!

About Botswana

To be honest even after watching and enjoying the television series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency with Jill Scott I still knew absolutely nothing about Botswana.  So what I have researched so far is that Botswana is situated in the southern African region and about two-thirds of The country lies within the Tropics.

It is a flat land-locked dominated in geographical terms (70%) by the Kalahari Desert.   It is bordered by   South Africa, Namibia , and Zimbabwe. It is one of the most sparsely populated countries with just over two million people, Maun is the gateway to the Okavango Delta. it is over 1000 kilometers from capital Gaborone, and is the fifth largest town in Botswana. It  thrives on a busy tourist trade and for the next four weeks will be my home away from home.