Mmopane, a small village approximately 15km outside of Gaborone, is located in the Kweneng District of Botswana and boasts a population of around 5,000. The town of Mmopane is sprawling and without clear boundaries - there are no streets signs apparent and as visitors it was hard to find our way to the location of the Mmopane Day Care Center. The day care was held inside one of the community churches where the chairs were pushed aside for the children’s play space. The building appeared old, with no heat and sparse lighting. The temperature that day was about 50 degrees and most children wore hats and gloves while inside. The lack of heat and electricity was not uncommon in other houses in the area as well. Houses in the area were in various stages of construction. Some consisted of cinderblock walls and tin roofs, some were huts, and others were constructed of scrap metal and wood. Various “tuck” shops, or small stands that sell fruit, candies, and phone cards, lined street corners and we passed several bars while driving. The village does not have a fire department but does have a police department, a health outpost with four nurses, a primary school, ten churches both traditional and Christian based, and three grocery stores. Transport buses called “combis” travel to the village from Gaborone during the winter months, but during summer months transportation is hard to find due to the dirt roads that are difficult to maneuver after heavy rains. There were no parks or recreation areas apparent in the village and it was unclear whether or not there were any public works facilities. Many residents of Mmopane struggle to find and maintain employment and often rely heavily on monetary support from the Botswana government.
The day care center itself serves about 35 children five days a week. These children range in age from three to six and most are orphans or vulnerable children. The center originally grew out of a HIV support group that met weekly so the vast majority of children have parents who are either living with, or have passed away from HIV. We performed health assessments on these children one morning early this week and were amazed at how quietly and respectfully the children sat as they waited in line for their assessments. It was a refreshing change from our previous experiences at day care centers we have spent time in at home-there was no crying, fighting, or complaining while they waited for over two hours, even as others ate their breakfast after completing their assessments. The majority of children presented with common colds, some skin irritations, and swollen lymph nodes but for the most part they were healthy and happy. We feel that it was a mutually beneficial exchange in that we were able to hone our assessment skills and simultaneously helped to identify health concerns in the children. Although issues were identified in a handful of the children it is unclear whether or not they will have the opportunity to receive follow-up care – a situation that is frustrating for any health practitioner, and that we have struggled with since arriving in Botswana. After assessing one child with an extensive fungal rash on his face and arms we determined that we will return with antifungal cream so that the teachers at the day care can treat this child on an ongoing basis. While this is a small action, it is one way that we can contribute to a positive health outcome.
All in all we felt extremely comfortable and accepted in this community. The children and teachers were extremely welcoming and even sang and danced for us after all assessments were finished. One desire that the teachers voiced was the need for a first aid kit which we plan to provide for them with money that we raised in the United States. See video!!
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