Monday, January 21, 2019

Job Advert!!!

JOB ADVERT: 3 X CLIENT SUPPORT OFFICERS
WoMen Against Rape (WAR) is a human rights organization, based located in Maun primarily supporting women and children who experience all forms of abuse. WAR’s prevention and mitigation strategies address social issues that contribute to the abuse through psychosocial counseling, provision of a safe house, public education, advocacy and lobbying, as well as economic skills development.
We are currently looking for 3 mature female citizens for the position of Client Support Officer to work at the safe house. The position involves 12 hour shift work as the safe house has to be available to clients on a 24hr basis.
The following are the requirements for the position:
1. Qualifications: Certificate or Diploma in Social Work or Counseling, Certificate in Community Based Work with Children & Youth or any related qualifications.
2. Experience: 2 years’ experience working with vulnerable women and children. A 2 year old light vehicle driver’s license.
3. Skills: In addition to professional skills associated with this position, Flexibility and ability to Multi-Task outside scope of academic training is crucial.
Remuneration for the position is P36,400.00 pa.
Interested persons should respond in writing with all the necessary documents to: Executive Director, WoMen Against Rape, P O Box 779, Maun, or email to infor@womenagainstrape.org.bw, by the 31st January 2019.
Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted by 8th February 2019.

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Smartmatch Labs

Smartmatch Labs provides the following range of ICT Technical Support services:
Systems Development and Maintenance
Server Management and Maintenance
Data Centre Maintenance and Hosting Maintenance 
ICT Security Management and Maintenance
ICT Risk Management and Imaging
Data Capture and Migration Services
We're situated at Block 8 Industrial, Plot 69184 - Botswana Innovation Hub Science and Technology Park
Call: (+267) 72 810 120
Email: ramakoba@smartmatchlabs.com

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Lecture Session at Nhabe Museum

Be reminded!
Nhabe Museum will be hosting a lecture session by Dr Sallie Burrough and Prof David Thomas all the way from Oxford University today. The lecture is titled "the people of the lake", The remarkable story of Makgadikgadi pans and its stone age inhabitants. The session will start at 1800hrs followed by a drinks reception. Lets share with relevant people whom will find this lecture beneficial to them and whom can use this information for future generations. Knowledge is power.Be there

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Training Doctors for Botswana, 1966 to 2017

Oatlhokwa Nkomazana,∗ Thabo Mokoena,§ Edward Maganu,♦ and Loeto Mazhani♠
Abstract
This piece is a straight forward account of how Botswana trained its medical doctors from the country’s independence in 1966 to 2017, the latter constituting roughly the first decade after the University of Botswana (UB) started to enrol medical students in 2009. By 2008, Botswana was one of the five countries in Sub-Saharan Africa without a medical school. With a relatively high Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Botswana was able to meet some of her medical doctors needs through training doctors in regional and international medical schools and recruitment of expatriate doctors. This strategy was eventually deemed unsustainable, as many of those trained overseas did not return to work in Botswana. After a number of consultative steps, a presidential directive was issued in September 1998 to start a phased medical school at UB. To facilitate this directive a high ranking committee was established to coordinate the planning and resource mobilization for the project. The committee expedited the requisite infrastructural development as well as the development policies and regulations that would enable medical education and training. As part of the phased development of the medical school a four semester pre-medical programme was developed at UB after which students transferred for medical training in four South African and two Australian medical schools. Finally, a fully-fledged medical school at UB enrolled its first class of medical students and specialist trainees in 2009 and 2010. By October 2017 the school had graduated 171 doctors and 21 specialists, significantly increasing the number of Batswana doctors in the country, which stood at only 382 in 2012. Botswana’s brave decision to invest huge resources in training her doctors is already reaping dividends but there are grave challenges and serious concerns boding ill for the facility.

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Presentation at Okavango Research Institute


You are cordially invited to Round River Conservation Studies' Research Presentations to be held at the University of Botswana’s Okavango Research Institute in Maun on Monday, 10 December 2018, from 10:00am to 11:45am.
Between September and December, RRCS had nine undergraduate students from universities across the United States who assisted in our field surveys and at the same time completed their course credits in Conservation Biology. The students would like to take this opportunity to share their three mini-projects with you from data collected in Khwai, Mababe, Sankuyo and Phuduhudu. The projects broadly touch upon:

i.       Community perceptions on wildlife presence and movement in four villages in Ngamiland
ii.      Dry Season 2018: A status report of Round River's wildlife monitoring in NG18
iii.     Herbivore Monitoring Field Manual: Data collection methodologies and demography kits

We are missing some contact details for some of the invitees and would like to kindly ask Trust Managers to extend this invitation to the Chief Escort Guides, Chairman, Village Chiefs, other representatives of the Trust and community members who may be in Maun at this time.

We are hoping you are able to attend and participate in the discussions that will follow each presentation.

If you know anyone else who may be interested in attending and is not on the above list, please feel free to invite him or her.

Best regards,
--
Samara Moreira Müller
Conservation Scientist - Botswana
Round River Conservation Studies

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

The Human Library

THE HUMAN LIBRARY
The Human Library Botswana, in partnership with the University of Botswana Library, will hold the first human library event in the country this November.
A human library is an innovative approach that provides a safe space for people to challenge their own stereotypes, assumptions, taboos and prejudices. The concept began in Europe where it was known as the Living Library. It was developed by a Danish youth non-governmental organization called Stop the Violence in an effort to counter violence based on discrimination, over 13 years ago and Human library events have been held in countries in more than 70 countries worldwide. The original event was open eight hours a day for four days straight and featured over fifty different titles. Botswana will be the 7th country to host this event in Africa.
The Human Books participating at the event will be volunteers who have self-identified as a “title” based on their race, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, economic status, ability/disability, or by a particular life experience (for example, “Living with HIV”). Readers (the public) will be given an opportunity to browse through the catalogue of books on display. After selecting a book, they will be issued with a library card and given 30 minutes to “study” the chosen human book, after which they will need to follow a checkout procedure. They may decide to renew the loan or select a different book.
This incredible phenomenon is an effort to celebrate diversity and promote equality by deliberately acknowledging differences in lifestyles, ethnicities, faiths, disabilities, abilities and characteristics that may be stigmatized, in the hope it might provoke an assumption or even prejudice in readers. Interesting, thought-provoking and difficult questions are expected, appreciated and discussed.
Attendance is free event and the public is encouraged to come and share in the experience.
Venue: University of Botswana Library Foyer
Date: 24th November 2018
Time: 0900hrs – 1300hrs
Enquiries: Contact Mpho E. Pitse at +267 74177337 or email humanlibrarybw@gmail.com

Monday, November 19, 2018

Heat Wave

HEAT WAVE: TIPS TO STAY COOL
Botswana has of late been experiencing high temperatures with day time temperatures reaching the ranges of 36 - 40 degrees centigrade. This poses an increased health risk and may impact differently on the health of individuals as exposure to such temperatures may lead to heat cramps, heat stroke, heat exhaustion and severe sunburns and complications of chronic diseases such as Hypertension, Asthma, other respiratory illness etc.
The university community is therefore advised to protect themselves against these high temperatures as follows:-
 Drink Plenty of Fluids - Increase your fluid intake regardless of your activity level. During hot weather, you will need to drink more liquid than your thirst indicates. Avoid drinks containing alcohol and try to limit consumption of caffeinated beverages as they cause you to lose more fluid.
 Replace Salt and Minerals - Heavy sweating removes salt and minerals from the body, which are necessary for your body. The best way to replace salt and minerals is to drink fruit juice or a sports beverage.
 Wear Appropriate Clothing and Sunscreen - Wear as little clothing as possible when you are at home.
If you must go outdoors, protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat, umbrella along with sunglasses, and put on sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher.
 Slow down. Reduce or cancel strenuous, outdoor activities or reschedule them for the coolest times of the day.
 Take frequent breaks if working outdoors
 Adjust to the Environment - Be aware that any sudden change in temperature, such as an early heat wave, will be stressful to your body.
 NEVER leave children or pets alone in closed vehicles

Hope in Aging and Dementia!