Who
to view all the images on a page and controls 
to start and stop a slideshow.Trip Details
This page contains some tentative and incomplete planning & preparatory information that was disseminated before the trip, and photos taken during the trip.
Botswana children
Mahalapye, Botswana
Photo courtesy of Angela Higgins
Window cleaning
Molepolole, Botswana
Photo by Dave Bezaire
Destinations: Molepolole and Mahalapye
Molepolole is one of the largest tribal villages in Africa with nearly 70,000 residents. Mahalapye is about half as large with a population around 40,000. Although few details are readily available on the Internet about these relatively small locations, below are several links to pages where you can learn a bit more about these areas. Please start with the Affiliate Descriptions and Handbook provided by Habitat for Humanity Botswana.
- Short Molepolole entry at Wikipedia.com
- Molepolole is home of the (sorry, link is no longer available at http://www.botswanatourism.co.bw/attractions/kgosi_sechele_Imuseum.html) Kgosi Sechele I Museum which is further described here
- Short article about a Molepolole company sponsoring a house (sorry, link is no longer available at http://www.gov.bw/cgi-bin/news.cgi?d=20090918&i=BIHL_volunteers_house_Molepolole_resident) for a destitute woman
- Short article about art education at Molepolole College of Education (sorry, link is no longer available at http://www.gov.bw/cgi-bin/news.cgi?d=20091105&i=Molepolole_college_art_exhibition_starts)
- Short Mahalapye entry at Wikipedia.com
- Pictures from a Global Village trip to Mahalapye in 2008 include captions and descriptions
- Development article (sorry, link is no longer available at http://www.gov.bw/cgi-bin/news.cgi?d=20090420&i=Projects_to_change_Mahalapye_landscape) gives some insight into Mahlapye conditions
- Article about water system developments in Mahalapye (sorry, link is no longer available at http://www.gov.bw/cgi-bin/news.cgi?d=20091111&i=Mahalapye_water_affairs_moves_to_resolve_crisis) gives additional insight
- As usual, we will have to be alert to stay safe from crime in Mahalapye (sorry, link is no longer available at http://www.mmegi.bw/2007/August/Friday31/33.php)
- Article about 2007 MP elections gives some insight to http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=1&aid=16&dir=2008/August/Friday15Mahalapye politics
- Article about Mahalapye school for disabled children (sorry, link is no longer available at http://www.gov.bw/cgi-bin/news.cgi?d=20091014&i=Mahalapye_school_benefits_disabled_children) talks of importance given to education
- Will we really see anything like this picture of a Mahalapye traditional house?
- A scan through this http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=6&aid=27&dir=2009/April/Thursday30long article about Mahalapye politics gives a little sense of priorities in the area
Molepolole team members are asked to meet on Sunday, July 25 between ??:00 a.m. and ??:00 p.m. local time. Mahalapye team members are asked to meet on Sunday, August 15 between ??:00 a.m. and ??:00 p.m. local time. We will meet at the airport in Gaborone (airport code GBE). The HfH staff coordinator will meet us at the airport. We ask team members to wear the Global Village t-shirt they will receive from HFHI to ease finding each other.
Usually our first stop is to a bank or foreign exchange house at or near the airport to obtain some local currency which is the Botswana Pula and further subdivided into Thebes. This Wikipedia article gives a few more details.
Smoothing plaster
Molepolole, Botswana
Photo by Dave Bezaire
Tshepiso
Molepolole, Botswana
Photo by Rebecca Bezaire
Construction of Habitat houses in Botswana
Please read the Construction Tool Kit provided by Habitat for Humanity Botswana. It is packed with great information about the work we will be doing.
Habitat for Humanity houses in Botswana are typically in the 215 to 365 square foot range (about 20-34 square meters) depending on family size and needs. Houses have concrete floors, concrete block walls and corrugated steel roofs. Importantly, they include a proper external latrine, greatly aiding health. Average house cost is BWP18,000 (Botswana Pula) which would convert to about $2,800 (US Dollars). The HFHI site lists the price to sponsor a complete house project as $4,100 (US Dollars).
A primary goal is to work side-by-side with partner families and other local volunteers. Please be aware, however, that most people have to work at their jobs every day, and some might live quite a distance from the site. Although they generally can not be with us all the time, we hope that they will be able to join us when they can. This is why we always ask that the schedule includes working on Saturdays.
Please review our What To Expect page for a more complete picture of the entire experience.
Habitat in Molepolole
Molepolole, Botswana
Photo by Dave Bezaire
Habitat office
Molepolole, Botswana
Photo by Dave Bezaire
Affiliate Development
In addition to construction work, we have offered our help with advocacy and PR efforts. We hope to learn more specifics soon about the feasibility, but initial thoughts include meeting community leaders and helping to recruit local donors, families & volunteers. This will primarily be a Sunday and/or evening activity, although we will welcome the chance to "be seen" and interact to people even as we walk or ride to/from the site each day.
The affiliate has been told that we may be able to garner some extra resources through our fundraising efforts. They noted the need for tools, and would be most appreciative if we can help them out in this manner. We will wait and purchase exactly what may be needed locally rather than try to carry tools or supplies from home.
We also expect to learn more about situations like the growing pains that Habitat Botswana may be experiencing such as the petition for loan relief reported in this http://allafrica.com/stories/200908101117.htmlstory at allAfrica.com.
Climate & Weather
Both Molepolole and Mahalapye are located in semi-arid desert regions where we can expect hot, dry conditions. The temperatures will be relatively modest since we will be there in the winter, ranging from the low-50s overnight to the high-70s during the day (6 to 26 degrees Celsius).
Home in Molepolole
Molepolole, Botswana
Photo by Sarah Boone
Posing at Lemepe
Molepolole, Botswana
Photo by Sarah Boone
Accommodations
We will probably be staying in a church, retreat center or small hotel that provides clean, simple, safe, inexpensive housing. We hope to be located within easy walking distance of both the construction site and some shops where we can obtain convenience items.
Typically each room accommodates two people and has a private bathroom, though it is possible that we will have dormitory style accommodations. We don't expect air conditioning, which is actually quite a benefit as we acclimate to working in the heat. You'll be amazed at how "cool" a 73 degree morning can feels when you work the rest of the day in the hot sun!
To help safeguard our passports and valuables, we will bring a hard-sided suitcase with a bicycle cable and padlock so we can secure them in our room or the office.
Our meals will be from a variety of sources, all prepared with clean water and under sanitary conditions appropriate for our "gringo" stomachs. Typically breakfast and dinner are provided at the lodging facility. We hope that lunch will be eaten on the work site together with any family members, staff, and other volunteers present at the time. Dinner will likely be either at the lodging facility, or else we will go to one or two local restaurants. Although we always make "advance reservations", don't get your hopes up for anything but the simplest of fare!
If you haven't already done so, please review our What To Expect page for a more complete picture of the entire experience.
Cultural Activities
R&R hike
Molepolole, Botswana
Photo by Susi Havens-Bezaire
Balancing our building and advocacy work will be some time to further explore the culture.
- Sundays will be a time to experience local church service and spend an afternoon getting to know the area markets, museums, etc. Hopefully some homebuyer families and/or other volunteers will be along so we can get to know more about them, their jobs, etc.
- We hope to learn a bit about local music, dance, crafts and customs in the evenings. A perennial favorite that we hope can be arranged is a cooking "class" to learn about Botswana food preparation -- and maybe even a reciprocal where we provide them with a taste of our own specialties!
- We will attempt to arrange a simple sporting event like soccer with the families, staff and local volunteers as another way to help everyone get to know and feel comfortable with each other.
- After the conclusion of our work, we will spend a day in Gaborone visiting markets, museums and other cultural locations.
- Optionally, Dave & Susi invite you to join them on an extended Safari tour after/before the conclusion of our regular mission trip.
Pricing Information
The price is $1,850 to $2,320 per person plus round trip airfare. For example, for people from Columbus, we expect flights to cost about $1,900 for a grand total of $3,750 to $4,220 each.
Description |
Amount |
Payable To |
| Round trip airfare. Although we will negotiate a package through http://www.twinhorizonstravel.comTwin Horizons Travel, you are free to make your own arrangements. | approx. $1900 depending on origin | Travel Agent |
| Mission days food, lodging, ground transportation and activities | $726 | HFHI |
| Cultural days food, lodging, ground transportation and activities | $225 | HFHI |
| Travel health and trip cancellation insurance | $77 | HFHI |
| Donation to Habitat for Humanity International to support the Global Village program | $100 | HFHI |
| Donation to HfH Botswana for house materials & coordination | $540 | HFHI |
| Columbus GV Team administration & First Aid Kits | $13 | HFHI |
| Contingency | $85 | HFHI |
| Special donation for tools, churches and more building | $84 | HFHI |
| Immunizations and malaria tablets | $0 to $300 | Others |
| U.S. Passport (renewal required if expiration is earlier than Feb 1, 2010) | $0 to $160 | Others |
| Botswana departure tax payable at airport (estimate) | $10 | Others |
Read about Tax Deductions and the Cancellation Policy here.
Health & Safety Information
Fortunately, we are traveling to a relatively safe area. Nonetheless, it is prudent to be aware of some standard precautions that apply to all of our trips. If, after reading the standard precautions, you wish to visit the Centers of Disease Control site, click here to jump to the Botswana page.