The Voice (Francistown)
Gontse Gareebine
1 April 2008
Francistown — Population Services International (PSI/Botswana), a private non-governmental and non-profit making organisation, has assured the public that the organisation will continue to supply condoms, despite the recent set-backs. This arose after the organisation found itself with a low supply of condoms.
PSI Botswana Business and Partnerships Manager, Benjamin Raletsatsi, said that the public need not panic because even though their supply was recently low, everything is under control. Raletsatsi further said that the Lovers Plus condoms that they mainly distribute are still on the market.
"Apart from that, there are other condom brands out there, as well as free ones supplied by the government and PSI Botswana. In an attempt to fight HIV&AIDS, Botswana has a total market approach to the distribution of condoms; there are socially marketed condoms, commercial and free distributed condoms."
PSI Botswana has been operating in Botswana for the past 14 years, and besides the distribution of condoms, it has other programs that it undertakes to fight HIV&AIDS. These include Programs such as Choose Life - the youth magazine that addresses Adolescent and Life skills Programs and an infants' supplement called "Babyactive Sprinkles' that provides babies between 6-24 months with nutrients.
PSI Botswana is also involved in an innovative behavioral change communication project focusing on Alcohol and HIV/AIDS and Multiple and Concurrent Sexual Partnerships. Through this initiative, PSI advocates for positive behavioural change amongst sexually active youth and adults by promoting safer sex practices, including the use of condoms even when drinking, and the reduction of casual sexual partners.
PSI also works with the faith based sector in schools to encourage abstinence and faithfulness as a desirable behaviour. The project has been piloted in Lobatse and Gaborone and is now being rolled out nationally to other districts in Botswana.
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