HER Voice Fund: Giving Women And Girls A Voice

Advocacy has emerged as a key strategy for encouraging leadership commitment to the goals of improving human life and development. Advocacy is critical in maintaining political, cultural, and economic leaders' interest and support for HIV/AIDS, which is widely regarded as the greatest development challenge facing humanity. Leaders at the highest levels of society in Africa are increasingly involved in defining visions for the continent's rapid rebirth and progress. In line with this, many young leaders are rallying up other members of the community in the fight against HIV/AIDS and the effects that it brings with it. Millicent Sethaile HER Voice Fund Botswana Ambassador uses her voice to touch the lives of those around her. As a reproductive health activist, grant manager, and development consultant she pairs her passion and zeal with personal and professional experience to make an impact in the healthcare space in Botswana.

TRC: PLEASE PROVIDE A SHORT BIO REFLECTING YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE GLOBAL FUND MS: The Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global) implements the HER Voice Fund to help adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their lives. ViiV Healthcare Positive Action and the Global Fund contributes to the HER Voice Fund. Since the inception of the HER Voice Fund programme in 2018, I have played the role of the country ambassador. The HER Voice initiative is implemented regionally (only in East and Southern Africa). In Botswana, the HER Voice initiative has funded organizations focusing on the rights of Lesbians and transgender young women, young mothers, unemployed young girls, and young women living with disabilities.

TRC: KINDLY PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE GLOBAL FUND IN RELATION TO THE HER VOICE FUND MS: In Botswana the high incidence of HIV amongst adolescent girls and young women has required urgent investment in programmes that target the significant drivers of infection by keeping girls in school, addressing gender norms to reduce violence, and improving their access to health-care services. In response to the above, the Global Fund has invested over US$200 million since 2017 in multi-sectoral and combination HIV prevention programs that include a plethora of services consisting of structural, biomedical, and behavioural interventions. These investments also prioritize the linkage between HIV-SRH services and integrated approaches for delivering services to adolescents and young women on different platforms. The HER Voice Fund essentially exists to give adolescent girls and young women a voice – a right to choose and a right to live more holistically. TRC: WHAT IS THE CORE BUSINESS OF THE GLOBAL FUND? MS: The Global Fund is a global movement dedicated to eradicating HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria and ensuring a healthier, safer, and more equitable future for all. The organization raises and invests $4 billion per year in more than 100 countries to combat the deadliest infectious diseases, challenges, and injustices that fuel them. Furthermore, it strengthens health systems by bringing together world leaders, communities, civil society, health workers, and the private sector to figure out what works and scale it up so that the world can make more progress, faster. The Global Fund currently has one active investment in Botswana: A multicomponent grant of up to US$25 million allocated for 2022-2024. This funding supports interventions that are helping Botswana make continued progress toward bold targets for reductions in HIV and TB infections and deaths.

TRC: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES AND INITIATIVES YOU HAVE ON UNDERTAKEN TO CREATE AN IMPACT IN THE LIVES OF BATSWANA? MS: Several interventions have been implemented in Botswana to respond to the high rates of HIV infection and SRH needs of young women. These programmes have targeted biomedical, structural, and behavioral factors. Examples of successful programmes we have funded since 2020 include:

• Protect. Promote. Defend: Ensuring that LBQT AYGW women are resilient and actively participating and contributing to the development of national laws and policies aligned

to human rights principles. The project envisions a society with strong, inclusive AYGW communities and movements that effectively promote human rights, accountability, and inclusive development in Botswana. • Young Mothers Support Programme, a project that supports pregnant AGYW and mothers living in adverse conditions in Botswana’s poor neighborhoods in Gaborone, to be re-integrated into the community. This is done through the creation of safe spaces for engagements, improving representation, and skills training. • ENHANCING VOICES OF AGYW, a project that supports AGYW in Gaborone, Francistown, and surrounding areas to complete a capacity-building programme aimed at increasing knowledge and utilization of health services

• The Missing link- Mainstreaming Anti Gender-Based

Violence, Child Rape, Sexual and Reproductive Health

Rights Advocacy in Adolescent and Young Women in

Botswana, a project that engages adolescent and young women in advocating for their sexual and reproductive health, as well as provides capacity-building aimed at eradicating gender-based violence (GBV)

TRC: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES AND INITIATIVES YOU PLAN ON UNDERTAKING SOON TO CREATE AN IMPACT IN THE LIVES OF BATSWANA? MS: Our main aim as HER Voice Fund going forward is to continue to create platforms for the promotion of adolescents and young women`s participation in decision-making processes. I as the country ambassador and the country lead work towards building the skills and knowledge of young women on issues of leadership for them to advocate for their own health rights. We will improve the capacity among AGYW whilst also providing platforms that enable them to participate in decision-making structures such as community technical working groups and other decision-making mechanisms. The funding to community-based organizations will also continue to grow with the will to fund more organizations.

TRC: WHAT IMPACT HAS HER VOICE FUND NOTED SINCE ITS roll-out to Botswana? MS: We have seen the engagements of over 500 young women in training sessions, workshops and meetings that focus on advocacy and policy reviews. Recently having some community-based organizations take part in the just-ended National Constitution Review which contributed their voices of impact. Through all the various communities we engage with, we have also noted an increase in participation in the healthcare right space. We believe as an organisation that the ripple effects of our work will continue to be felt years from now.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE IN RELATION TO HEALTHCARE RIGHTS IN BOTSWANA? MS: My desire is to see more young women in rooms of influence that I too seat in so that our voices have a greater impact in changing the narrative of youth leadership and empowerment. The investments made to healthcare financing are prioritized by our governments so that no girl drops out of school due to teenage pregnancy due to the lack of education and services for sexual reproductive health. Together we can end HIV new infections and sexual reproductive health challenges in Botswana. I certainly would like to see more collaborative efforts between government institutions, the civil and private sector and well as communities in fighting issues that continue impede our progress.

Glotto: Unifying African Voices

By Lorraine Kinnear

Six years ago, an ambitious young woman and her friend sat in the tiny corners of her dorm room creating what would become a world-recognized fashion brand with a global reach of over 40 000. Glotto is an apparel brand that makes Afrocentric unisex garments that are made in Botswana.

Growing from humble beginnings, this brand has been-featured in numerous local newspapers and international magazines and online publications such as Afro Punk, Elle, and True Africa, to name a few. In line with this, they participated in the Global

Expo 2019 and were named one of the ten finalists for the Brand

Botswana Dubai Expo.

The brand's aesthetic is not only translated through fashion but also conceptual storytelling. Glotto’s Creative Director, Mboko Basiami, recently graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration specialising in International Business. She expressed immense excitement for the next chapter of the brand as she will now apply her knowledge to the business that has been operating for the past six years.

UNIFYING AFRICAN VOICES THROUGH ART The creative duo being, Mboko Basiami, and Sadie Simanyana not

only shared an interest in fashion but in unifying Africans through their art. To help us understand the origin of the brand Glotto’s Creative Director, Mboko Basiami took us through Glotto’s epic journey. The Glotto brand exists to be Africa’s ultimate storyteller and uses these stories to empower Africans across the region. This youth-established, citizen-owned brand is nested around meaningful sentiment than mere apparel – every piece is designed to tell a story. Glotto is derived from the word "Glottology," which refers to the study of languages or tongues.

Africans have significantly similar languages. The Glotto duo calls this the power of the tongue which is fitting to the definition of the word Glotto.

“Simple phrases across Africa can have the same meaning. A good example is the popular Swahili phrase, ‘Hakuna Matata,' which translates to 'Ga gona mathata' in Setswana. Both meaning, 'There is no problem.'

The evolution of this self-sustaining business is hugely attributed to building on a very iterative business model which is focused on human interest and being part of a community that advocates for issues such as the expression of youth voices, bolstering progress on society's important issues such as diversity and inclusion.

CONTRIBUTING TO AFRICAN HERITAGE As an evolving, youth-owned creative brand, Glotto translates its aesthetic through conceptual storytelling. The brand embodies the Sub-Saharan glow that Mboko believes all young Batswana possess. She encourages all to shine beyond their limitations to achieve that #Glottoglow. This creative brand encourages young people to know, understand and celebrate their roots. Over the years, all Glotto designs continue to be inspired by African landscapes, thus making the brand relatable while playing a vital role in preserving our cultures as Africans. No matter where one is in the world, Glotto is always reminiscent of Africa; the bright orange sunsets, the hues of the landscape, and the vivid colors of the desert sand and plants. Each garment uniquely and thoughtfully created using sustainable fabrics meaning that the brand will be transcendent into the future. Beyond being a symbol of heritage, Glotto subtly addresses pressing issues in the region. Glotto released the #sadgrls2k16 bodysuit collection in 2016 to honor the tears shed by African women in a society riddled with gender-based violence and inequality. "If you remember, the infamous case of an underage girl's sexual assault shook our beloved country. Glotto, like the rest of the country, vowed never to forget. Another incident to remember is the bus rank assault, which painfully reminded us that we still have a long way to go when it comes to gender equality and respect for the African woman," Basiami explained. Glotto seeks to advocate for issues that affect the youth, such as self-assurance, bravery, and having a close relationship with nature and the environment.

ROBUST BUSINESS MODEL SUPPORTING AFRICAN VOICES Since its inception, Glotto has been a self-sustaining business that leverages strategic partnerships for the growth of both the brand and the people that it exists to serve. This Afrocentric ready-to-wear clothing brand has color schemes inspired by Botswana landscapes such as the Okavango Delta, the Makgadikgadi salt pans, and the Kgalagadi Desert.

The color schemes in every collection thus far have been heavily influenced by the hues of Sub-Saharan sands and the earthy tones of the Savannah, desert plants, and the color schemes found in different sites across the region. Glotto has successfully captured the attention of young people by instilling pride in their heritage and skin colors. Through this, the brand celebrates diversity and encourages young Africans to embrace who they are.

Glotto complements all genders, body types, and skin tones of all shades and is a true testament that we are one people, and we should celebrate our different backgrounds and stand united.

“Glotto is very much grounded on African principles such as Ubuntu. Having all our garments inspired by different landscapes in the region, we want to demonstrate the idea that being united is better for us as it amplifies our voices,” further detailed Mboko..

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