Peace Corps Botswana has partnered with the Government of Botswana and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to strengthen Botswana’s response to the HIV epidemic. Botswana is one of the hardest hit countries in the HIV/AIDS global epidemic with prevalence at 15%, 360,183 people currently living with HIV and 6,405 new infections each year (Botswana PEPFAR Strategic Direction Summary 2020). Under its Third Botswana National Strategic Framework for HIV & AIDS 2016-2022 (NSF III), the Government of Botswana embraces Treat All as a mechanism for ending the epidemic by 2030 with no new infections by 2023. The strategy calls for increased community-level service delivery and targeted interventions aimed at sub-populations, including adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), and high prevalence geographic areas. The focus of the Health Project and this assignment is system strengthening for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for youth ages 10-24 years.

In 2021, Peace Corps Botswana began active participation in the PEPFAR-funded DREAMS program in 8 districts. The Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, Safe (DREAMS) Initiative – a public-private partnership between the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Girl Effect – seeks to achieve an AIDS-free future for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 10-24 years. The program offers a comprehensive package of layered evidence-based interventions focused on four interconnected groups – AGYW, families, sexual partners, and communities – to prevent new HIV infections among women and girls. DREAMS aligns perfectly with the goals and objectives of Peace Corps Botswana’s Health Project Framework. As a Volunteer in Botswana, you will be trained in DREAMS interventions, but you may or may not be placed in one of the DREAMS districts.

As a Clinic and Health Team Volunteer, you will be assigned to a rural clinic or health post serving a small community, district hospital or a District Health Management Team (DHMT) responsible for multiple health facilities and HIV programs and services across an entire health district.

If placed in a clinic/health post, you will most likely work alongside the Health Education Assistant or community health nurse to strengthen outreach work in HIV prevention, treatment adherence and care for People Living with HIV delivered through health talks, home visits, support groups and community campaigns. You may also assist the clinic/health post improve HIV service delivery by strengthening systems, such as health commodity logistics and supply chain management, client tracking, monitoring systems and working with the Youth Friendly Services Clinic.

If placed in a DHMT, you will most likely work alongside different units such as Health Education, pharmacy and Monitoring and Evaluation, responsible for ensuring HIV programs and services are implemented in clinics, hospitals and communities within the district. You may assist in strengthening data collection, analysis and reporting, implementation of district-wide campaigns, and improving delivery of HIV prevention, care, treatment, and support services. Volunteers often support pharmacists and laboratory technicians to improve health commodity logistics and supply chain management and may assist the environmental health team in malaria prevention. You will also be involved in the larger district HIV response through the District Multi-Sectoral AIDS Committee.

Qualified candidates will have an expressed interest in working in the health sector and one or more of the following criteria:
• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any field
OR
• 5 years' professional work experience

Competitive candidates will meet one or more of the following criteria:
• Master of Public Health degree or Master of Arts/Master of Science degree in Public Health
• Certified Physician Assistant or Public Health Nurse with expressed interest in public/community health
• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition, Health, or Nursing

Additional desired skills for all candidates include:
• Experience in HIV and AIDS programs, health behavior change, clinical practice, nutrition, reproductive health, or community health education
• Experience working with youth, especially youth health services
• Experience in public health, health program management including monitoring and evaluation, or supply chain management

There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position.

Trainees receive intensive training in Setswana, the national language, and must attain an “intermediate low” level by the end of Pre-Service Training. Business is often conducted in English, the official language, but true successful service and integration only happens when the Volunteer learns Setswana. The prevalence of English makes language learning a challenge, thus Trainees and Volunteers must actively pursue their language learning for success.

Botswana is blessed with beautiful weather with up to 340 days of sunshine each year! You will arrive at the end of winter, which is windy, sunny and warm. The rainy season follows in October when temperatures start to rise. October to February is the hottest period. Spring follows in April and winter begins in May. Summers are very hot, reaching temperatures into the 90s, and winters are cold with freezing temperatures at times. Botswana is an arid country characterized by lack of surface water, low humidity and dry heat. Rainfall is low and the country experiences periodic and prolonged drought.

During Pre-Service Training, you will live with a local family who will share Botswana culture and traditions, teach you how to manage village life and practice speaking Setswana with you. During your service, you will live in accommodation identified by your organization and approved by Peace Corps. You will have a modest dwelling that may be on a family compound. Volunteers in rural towns may have electricity and running water, while this may not be available in rural villages. You will be matched to your site based on your knowledge, skills and experience. You must be prepared to accept the living conditions at site, as you will be living under the same conditions as the people with and for whom you work.

As a Volunteer in Botswana, you will be assigned to an organization and work a full week based on the hours of the organization. The typical work day is 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. You will be expected to dress professionally and abide by your host organization’s dress code.

While Botswana is generally tolerant, values and mores concerning sexual orientation and gender identity are more conservative than in the US. Volunteers will need to be mindful of cultural norms, and use their judgment to determine the best way to approach sexual orientation and gender identity in their communities and host countries. Staff and currently serving Volunteers will address this topic during Pre-Service Training, and identify support mechanisms for incoming trainees. It is not a crime to identify as non-heterosexual in Botswana and the decision to serve openly is left to each individual Volunteer. Many LGBTQ Volunteers have served successfully in Botswana.

Through inclusive recruitment and retention of staff and Volunteers, the Peace Corps seeks to reflect the rich diversity of the United States and bring diverse perspectives and solutions to development issues. Peace Corps works diligently to identify and train host country partners on the rich diversity of the United States. Still, when engaging with some individuals, Volunteers who are of an American racial or ethnic minority, have visible disabilities or whose religious or spiritual beliefs differ from the majority of their country of service may be mistaken for other nationalities and/or experience a high degree of curiosity or unwanted attention or even discrimination from host country nationals. Please be aware that American concepts of politeness and appropriate behavior are not universal. Ethnically, nationally, or racially diverse Americans may be asked where they are “actually from” or if they are “really” American. Many Volunteers have been able to turn these encounters into learning experiences, sharing American values and deepening local community members’ understanding of Americans.

Peace Corps Botswana welcomes couples serving together in the health sector. Therefore, your partner must qualify for and apply to one of the following:

• HIV/AIDS Civil Society Volunteer
• HIV/AIDS Local Government Volunteer
• HIV/AIDS Clinic & Health Team Volunteer

Couples will have the same living conditions as other Volunteers and will live together during Pre-Service Training (PST) and service. Going through the Peace Corps experience as a couple allows for ample growth in trust, confidence, and communication. There will be times when you will both need each other’s support. Understand that you will need to put in an extra effort to be an ally to your partner. Although you will not be able to completely eradicate many of these challenges, they can be coped with and overcome with time, patience, and most importantly, a good sense of humor.