Most people in Ngamiland West live in very remote villages, and as a result have very little access to HIV/AIDS information. In recognition of the enormous threat posed by HIV/AIDS throughout all the villages where it works, ACORD Botswana found it necessary to incorporate HIV/AIDS into its programme. The main objective of this programme is to undertake activities in these communities aimed at raising HIV/AIDS awareness and understanding. All the undertaken activities would result in enhanced individual capacity to respond effectively to risks posed by HIV/AIDS.

In order to effectively reach the whole community, ACORD carried out a baseline study that would measure the HIV/AIDS awareness level of Ngamiland West communities. The main focus of the study was to access levels of correct knowledge about HIV infection and AIDS, as well as to look at attitudes, practices and behaviour that increased risk of infection. Four villages (Seronga, Qangwa, Sepopa and Nokaneng) to represent Ngamiland West were chosen for this study.

The results of the study indicate that on average these communities are well informed about HIV/AIDS with the elderly being the least informed. They are aware of the real cause of HIV/AIDS, different modes of transmission as well as different measures one has to take to avoid infection. However, 35% of the respondents still hold onto misconceptions about HIV/AIDS. These include beliefs such as AIDS being caused by witchcraft, having sex with widow who have not undergone ritual cleansing or traditional doctors being able to cure HIV/AIDS. Fifty percent of the respondents could not differentiate between HIV infection and AIDS. The common belief is that once you become infected you become sick, and therefore HIV/AIDS can only be caught from people showing signs of sickness. Forty eight percent of the respondents were not aware of the risks involved in providing home based care to AIDS patients. Some people are not aware of the preventative measures one has to take when handling the patients’ body fluids.

Although 73% of the people think of abstinence and condom use as the best method of preventing infection, practically this is not happening. Forty percent (40%) of the respondents even indicated that once you are sexually active you could not refrain from having sex and completely rule out abstinence from their lives. Sixty-eight percent of them also indicated that they sometimes or never use condoms when having sex. Despite this, practices such as multiple sexual partners and polygamy are accepted as part of their culture. The elderly men rarely use condoms, and a woman can still not initiate condom use even when she thinks that she is at risk of being infected.

Most of the men indicated that they do not like to use condoms as they interfere with their pleasure. Some stated that condoms have got worms which cause diseases, HIV/AIDS included, while others indicated that they are allergic to the lubricant used in condoms. Most female respondents indicated that they would like to use condoms, however never do so because their men usually refuse to do so. They indicated that they are also not able to use them, as they are not empowered enough on condom use. Some female youth on the other hand indicated that there is no need to carry condoms around, as they are more worried about pregnancy for which they get other contraceptives.

In some of the villages there are many people getting into home based care with HIV/AIDS related ailments. Despite this, there are some people who are still in denial and do not want to talk about HIV/AIDS at all. Most of the elderly indicated that AIDS is a non-existent disease and nobody in their villages is suffering from AIDS. However, some people have already lost hope being HIV/AIDS free. They indicated that it is already too late to be making any HIV/AIDS interventions as a lot of people are already infected and are going to die.

Most of the village leaders (chiefs, councillors) are involved in community mobilisation on HIV/AIDS. However, some key people who could be used to effectively sensitise the community about HIV/AIDS (traditional doctors, traditional birth attendants, and church leaders) do not have adequate factual information about HIV/AIDS. This does not only put them at risk of infection but the community at large too as some of their practices (use of the same razor blade in different patients) are likely to result in cross infection of patients.