The Drivers of Change

Quotable quotes

“…as drivers of change, we have to own the process in the council and ensure that at all costs gender is part of the agenda..”

Fact box

COUNTRY Name of council Sub District Authority Baseline score N/A Latest score 56 Population/audience 47,447 Key characteristics Agriculture Contact person Mogomotsi Motimedi

Gender Committee _Serowe Administrative Designation Senior Welfare Officer Authority Contact details 0026771470703

The Serowe sub administrative authority is located in a fertile area, well-watered by the Lotsane River. It lies west of the –Francistown road, from which it is easily reached. It also marks the beginning of the Serowe-Orapa road, which ends at the diamond mines in Orapa.

Serowe currently serves as the capital of the Central District. The town also has a rich history in the Botswana Government, with Sir , the first , current president, President Lieutenant General , and former president, Festus Mogae, all having been born in Serowe.

The Central District Council and Serowe Sub district council runs the town. The Sub District council (headed by a female councillor) has 74% of male councillors and 26% of female councillors.

The council is relatively new to the Local Government Centres of Excellence programme, and has completed up to Stage 5 of the process; they have come up with a plan that has not been adopted yet. The council joined the COE program in 2011. Since then, strides in improving gender issues within their structures are being made.

The Serowe council has since put in place a gender committee which monitors the gender mainstreaming process at the council. The Council has also been working in close partnership with the police and has even included one female officer in the council committee to help advise on gender based violence issues. Although the council does not have a stand-alone local economic development policy, the council has been implementing local economic development projects using the strategic plan which they are aligning to the gender action plan. Several development projects are underway across the town. These include the improvement of water and sanitation, construction of more health facilities and paving more land for residential and business stands.

With help from the central government, the council has had a lot of input into local economic development through the construction of community bakeries and market stalls to empower women who are the main beneficiaries. So far 12 women have benefited from project.

“I have benefited quite a lot from this project which the council had set up for us. Wz are able to make a profit of P3000 per day once we distribute to all our clients. Our main clients are schools and small shop owners here in Tshimoya. Our group comprises mostly of single parents and so we have managed to put our children through school. And we are able to provide for them from start to finish. I am really grateful to the council for this initiative.”..Dilhutsapalo Keobonye said. Lealobaneng Leatome and The council has also been working in partnership with the Sholofelo Gaguitswe from Self Help Housing Agency (SHAA) in assisting low and Tshimiyapula women’s group middle income earners to afford better shelter. Over 50 women have been given access to housing schemes.

The council has set up social and recreational facilities in almost all the villages in Serowe. The most famous recreational facilities set up include the lady Khama recreational facility and the Serowe sports complex. The facilities are safe and are accessed by both men and women. However, due insufficient street lighting the facilities are not accessed during the night as the spaces are quite unsafe. The council will begin the street naming exercise, and will be putting up street lights in strategic places like parks, residential streets and schools.

Even though the council has done commendable work in gender mainstreaming, there are challenges that they face in terms of the budget. The council is not able to make their own budget as this is done from the Central district level. As a result, the council is unable to put aside money for some of their activities especially where gender is concerned. However, the council has been incorporating gender activities in main events, such as Independence Day, and use such platforms to address gender issues.

“The other challenge we have been facing is the lack of political will to carry out the processes in the local authority. But as drivers of change we have to own the process in the council and ensure that at all costs gender is part of the agenda.”… Mogomotsi Motimedi, Gender Links contact person said.