Xere Botswana

This settlement has been significantly impacted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, resulting in many orphaned children and a declining number of adults. In 2002 the community care program began with a Day Care Centre for orphans and destitute children. Initially, 12 children were cared for in a small prefabricated building.

Day Care Centre: accommodates 85 children; catering for all children, not just orphans and destitute children. The orphan and destitute children are given priority of place and attend for free. Other children pay a small fee, set at a reasonable level for the community, which is designed to cover the cost of food and a part of the teachers’ salaries. In this way the day care centre is on a reasonably sustainable financial footing, regarding day-to-day running costs. Provides two meals a day for the children and follows an internationally recognized curriculum of child development.

Community: runs a curio (gift) shop to provide leather crafts to the tourist safari market.

Bakery: generates an income which goes towards running costs of the day care centre.

Vegetable plot: grows vegetables to help provide better nutrition to the children and the wider community.

Second pre-school / day care centre: cares for approximately 50 children, built in the local San Bushman settlement. The majority of the children are non-fee-paying as they are predominantly orphaned and destitute.

Sandbag business: runs a business manufacturing sandbag building kits. This income-generating project provides employment in the village and a portion of the revenue funds the second pre-school.

Support: Xere works closely with a local community based support group who tackles issues of HIV/AIDS through counselling, testing, youth activities, community outreach, etc.

Download the project sheet here.