Stepping Stones International is a civil society organisation serving orphaned and vulnerable youth between 12-25 years old in Botswana. Its programmes focus on the most marginalised; young people who lost one or more parent(s), who are HIV positive or who are suffering from the loss of a relative due to AIDS. The organisation aims to unleash the potential of vulnerable young people by empowering them to become change makers.
Stepping Stones International’s four key programmatic areas Life Skills, Leadership, Psychosocial Support and Community Mobilisation fit well with Aflatoun’s core elements. Therefore, they commenced the Aflatoun journey in 2011 by contextualising Aflateen. A year later, the first teacher training was organised for implementation and the programme was presented to the Ministry of Education in Botswana. The Aflatoun song was also localised in Botswana: written and sung by the country’s very own hip hop artist Scar.
Aflateen Schools
In 2013 the Ministry of Education in Botswana signed a Memorandum of Understanding agreeing to implement Aflateen in schools across the country. As a result, many Aflateen clubs started across the country, some of which were very high-performing. Whilst there are many success stories, the most active Aflateen clubs have been established in schools with the support of the Ministry of Education.
One of the Aflateen clubs which continues to excel is the Tlokwen Community Junior Secondary School. Its members are very passionate about Aflateen and see the benefits of learning about social and financial education. Pupils take a lead role in ensuring sessions are conducted and fundraising opportunities are developed and executed. Their key achievements include a litter picking day, in which they took ownership of the cleanliness of their school environment, a grocery scheme, organising food shopping for the neediest in their community, and a beauty pageant, raising money with the snacks they sold during the show.
