Botswana Business Coalition on AIDS (BBCA)

Mission:

To strengthen the Botswana private sector’s role in managing and combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the workplace

To ensure that every private sector company in Botswana develops HIV/AIDS interventions

Objectives:

- To assist the business community in developing HIV/AIDS workplace programmes and policies
- To support the private sector in accessing existing Government HIV/AIDS services
- To assist the government in reaching more people and increasing uptake levels for its services

Organization Description:

The Management Board has eight members representing the sectors of financial services, mining, petroleum, hospitality & tourism, SMEs,and women in business. Members of the board serve voluntarily and gratis, and meet on a monthly basis.

The secretariat consists of three full-time employees and four short-term volunteers:

Full-time employees:
- Coordinator
- Communications & Marketing Officer
- Administration Officer

Short-term volunteers (voluntary 3 -12months):
- two full-time
- two part-time.

Members:

Since 2002, BBCA has operated on a service-based model, moving from a membership-based model. At its inception in1994 BBCA used a membership-basedmodel. The coalition worked closely with 40 member/companies. However, the organization experienced inconsistent and low payment rates of membership fees.

While a few highly committed companies paid above and beyond their fees, many members paid nothing at all. Given this situation, in 2002 BBCA evolved into a service-based organization to cater to the wider private sector.

Under the previous model, BBCA activities reached just over 40 companies. Since 2003, upon the inception of the new model, there has been a major drive in company outreach. Now, over 800 companies have been reached through BBCA. Of these 800, over 300 companies have been actively engaged (over 200 have implemented the BBCA toolkit, and over 100 companies have been reached through the capacity-building training.

There are approximately 3,000-5,000 organized businesses in Botswana,meaning BBCA has reached 10-15% of businesses in the country. Judging by outputs from the Needs Assessment Survey (NAS) that was conducted in 2004,18% of the 300 companies surveyed had a workplace policy.

BBCA primarily works through its partner organizations to reach businesses. These partners include Women in Business (WIBA),BOCCIM and the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB).

Collectively these groups have a membership base of over 2,000 companies. BOCCIM has 14 business councils in Botswana, stratified according to industry and geography. BBCA is currently exploring the possibility of appointing and HIV/AIDS focal point within each council.

Services and Products Offered:

BBCA’s activities fall into five categories:

1. Supporting businesses to establish workplace programmes.
2. Capacity building through training
3. Advocacy
4. Monitoring & Evaluation
5. Supporting and establishing public private partnerships

Relationships with other organizations:

ACHAP - Donor/project partner
BOTUSA - Donor/project partner
NACA - Government coordinating mechanism and lobby
ILO - Provider of capacity building training
Ministry of Trade & Industry Official Government representation
GBC Member through AFA
UNAIDS/UNDP- Partner in forums
WHO - Partner in forums
GTZ - (through BOTA) - Partner in forums
Civil society -BONASO (Botswana Network of AIDS Services Organizations),
BONEPWA
BONELA -(Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS) - Partner in forum

Major Achievements:

- Integrating into the national response to HIV/AIDS through the NAC and the National Strategic Framework. The NAC has identified the private sector as a critical partner in the national response, meaning BBCA has been given authority not only from companies that are committed to the fight, but also from government which has provided BBCA with leverage.
- Supporting an innovative private sector response to HIV/AIDS, e.g. pioneering PPPs through Debswana and AFA.
- Company outreach that is not limited to membership. Through its new model, BBCA is able to reach a wider range of businesses (over 800 businesses,compared to 40 before).

Main Contact:

Wame Jallow

Phone:

(+267) 3164926

E-mail: