Hope Restored: Supporting 300 Vulnerable Children

Thank you for your continued belief in Hope Restored! Through your generosity, our team has been reaching the most vulnerable HIV-affected families in Bontleng and Broadhurst. In February alone, we served 119 individuals (79 children and 40 caregivers), delivering 127 services across health, psychosocial, and education support.

Keeping Children Healthy and on Treatment

Our caseworkers conducted 40 home visits, providing HIV adherence counseling to 43 clients and completing 56 medical card reviews. Thirteen children maintained 100% clinic attendance, and 37 caregivers reviewed for viral load testing and ART clinic appointments attendance. We continue working to strengthen our partnership with local government clinics, through the Town Clerk's office.

Restoring Safety: Overcoming Intimate Partner Violence

In Maruapula, our team identified a 46-year-old woman who had been living with intimate partner violence. Her distress was profound, fear and instability had taken hold of her daily life. Our caseworkers provided psychosocial counseling at her home and arranged an accompanied referral to the Botswana Gender Based Violence Prevention & Support Centre for specialized support. The change has been transformative. "I am emotionally much more stable than before. I am grateful and happy that HOPE worldwide Botswana assisted me during one of the most difficult times in my life," she shared. Her confidence and sense of safety are being rebuilt, one visit at a time.

Giving Children a Legal Identity

In Ledumang, we met a mother of two whose children had no birth certificates, one had been lost, the other never issued. Without legal documentation, these children risked being shut out of school, healthcare, and social services. Our team accompanied the mother to the National and Civil Registration Office, guiding her through the process from start to finish. Both children now have birth certificates. They can access education and healthcare without barriers. A small step on paper; a life-changing milestone for this family.

What We Have Accomplished Together

In January and February 2026:

• 119 active beneficiaries (79 children, 40 caregivers) across 2 sites
• 127 services delivered including health education, psychosocial support, and educational assistance
• 14 new families enrolled into the program this month
• 1 household with 2 children successfully graduated from the program
• 66 school-age children had their attendance monitored; homework support provided at Bontleng Primary School
• 3 referrals made, one to the Botswana Gender Based Violence Prevention & Support Centre, a safety shelter for survivors of GBV and children registrations to the Civil Registration Office

Moving Forward

In the months ahead, we are focused on expanding household enrollment toward our target of 100 households, securing more clinics partnership approval to improve treatment tracking, and intensifying psychosocial counseling and school support. We are also working to increase staff availability from three to five working days to extend our reach.

You are not just funding a program, you are restoring dignity, identity, and hope to families who had nearly given up. Every home visit, every birth certificate obtained, every child staying in school: it all happens because you chose to stand with us.

Thank you for not forgetting them.

Thank you for believing in Hope Restored! In just 8 weeks post October launch, your donations have helped us reach about 102 HIV-affected individuals, 70 vulnerable children and 32 caregivers in Gaborone. We have  re-established the critical home visits and linkages to clinics that these families desperately needed after our program closed in January 2025.

Saving Lives Through Treatment Support

T., an adolescent living with HIV, was struggling with medication adherence when our team found her during follow-up visits. Missing doses put her health at serious risk. Through your support, our caseworkers provided intensive adherence counseling, helped her understand why consistent treatment matters, and addressed the barriers she was facing.

The transformation has been remarkable. T. now takes her medication consistently and never misses clinic appointments. Her confidence has grown, and she's actively engaged in her own care. "I understand now why I can't miss even one day," she told her caseworker. We continue monitoring her progress closely to ensure she stays on track.

What we have accomplished together

Our small team of community health workers has been conducting weekly home visits to the most vulnerable households. We are working directly with government clinics to ensure children living with HIV stay connected to treatment and partnering with government social workers to link families to food assistance and economic support programs.

In these first 8 weeks:

• 102 clients enrolled (70 children, 32 caregivers) in 32 households.
• 40 visits completed to assess urgent needs and provide services.
• 303 services provided to program beneficiaries

Restoring Dignity and Hope

In Broadhurst Extension 16, we found a family in severe financial crisis. They couldn't afford basic necessities, including adequate clothing for the children. Your donations allowed us to provide essential clothing support to this household.

The mother's gratitude was overwhelming. "I didn't know how I would send my children to school looking presentable," she shared. "Now they have dignity again. Thank you for not forgetting us." This simple intervention lifted the family's spirits during their darkest time and reminded them that their community still cares.

Rebuilding a Broken Family

Perhaps our most challenging case came from Bontleng, where two children had dropped out of school and turned to alcohol and drugs. Constant conflict between the children and their caregiver had created a toxic home environment.

Our team conducted family conferencing sessions, giving everyone a safe space to express their feelings and frustrations. Through these conversations, we helped repair broken communication and address the root causes of the children's risky behavior. We provided ongoing psychosocial support, mentored the children, and helped the family develop a plan to re-enroll both children in school when classes resume in January.

The progress has been inspiring. The children have stopped using substances, their attitudes have improved dramatically, and hope has returned to the household. "I can see my children again," their caregiver said. "They're coming back to me."

Moving forward

With your continued support, we are planning to; expand to 100 households by March 2026, strengthen our partnerships with additional government services and relevant stakeholders. We will continue tracking the health outcomes for every child to ensure they are not just surviving but thriving in key aspects of their lives.

You did not just donate money, you restored hope to families who thought they were forgotten. Every home visit, every clinic appointment honored, every child back in school, happens because you believed these families deserved a second chance.

Thank you again for standing with us.