Lifesaving Services for Botswana's Youth

A timely conversation can open a door. A nearby service can change a decision. And a rapid referral can save a life.

This quarter, Stepping Stones International brought health information, clinical referrals, parenting support and counselling closer to adolescents and young people. Working with schools, tuition centres, health providers and community partners, the programme reached young people where they learn, gather and live. The result was more than a set of activities: it was a connected pathway from awareness to care, and from crisis to renewed possibility.

2,317 young people reached with HIV, GBV prevention, stigma reduction and human-rights messages

98 adolescent girls and young women completed HIV testing referrals

53 caregivers completed the Pinagare parenting programme, with zero dropouts

113 individual counselling sessions delivered across three programme locations

105 psychoeducation sessions delivered

22 clients received trauma-focused support through EMDR

Bringing prevention and care within reach

Through One Stop Shop activities, health expos and school-based outreach, SSI and its partners combined practical information with direct access to services. Of the 2,317 adolescents and young people reached, 1,268 were adolescent girls and young women aged 10-24. Clinical linkages included:

• 13 adolescent girls and young women initiated PrEP referrals.
• 22 received contraceptive implant referrals.
• 254 male condoms and 934 lubricants were distributed to adolescent girls and young women.

 When identification becomes life-changing action

During community screening, an SSI mobilizer met an out-of-school young person who had previously tested HIV-positive but had not started treatment. The programme team responded immediately, linking the young person to clinical providers for confirmatory testing, targeted counselling and enrolment in antiretroviral therapy.

In a separate outreach, SSI identified a young person facing an acute mental-health crisis and arranged an immediate referral for specialized psychiatric evaluation and counselling. These cases show why community presence matters: trained teams can recognize risk early, act quickly and stay connected until care is reached.

“The impact is not only in how many people we reach, but in whether the right person reaches the right care at the right time.”

Stronger caregivers, safer families

The Pinagare programme enrolled 53 caregivers, including three single fathers, and every participant stayed through graduation. The 100% retention rate reflects the value families placed on practical guidance, shared learning and a supportive space to strengthen parenting skills. The participation of single fathers also broadened the conversation about caregiving and reinforced that nurturing children is a shared responsibility.

Counselling that meets people where they are

Psychosocial support addressed distress, trauma-related concerns, truancy, grief, family conflict and academic pressure. Across Kgatleng, Mabutsane and Letlhakane, SSI delivered 113 individual counselling sessions, 58 household visits and 105 psychoeducation sessions. Twenty-two clients also received Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a structured trauma-focused intervention used to help clients process distressing experiences.

A health expo built around choice and conversation

The health expo gave adolescent girls and young women a welcoming point of entry to learn about mental wellbeing, HIV testing, family planning and PrEP. By bringing multiple services into one setting, the event reduced the distance between receiving information and taking the next step toward care.

What donor support made possible

GlobalGiving donors helped SSI turn partnership into practical access. Support enabled community mobilization, youth-friendly outreach, clinical referrals, family-strengthening sessions, and responsive counselling. Each contribution helped create a local safety net in which a young person could be seen, heard, and connected to support before a challenge became a lasting setback.