Kefilwe Monosi

“Sharing a yard with many people is very risky because we share the toilet, washing basin and the movement is uncontrollable. We consider ourselves a family because my neighbour can just bring me vegetables and I can’t question a lot because I look at my kids who are hungry, it is very difficult to resist help, I stay hopeful that no one will bring the virus to the yard.”

Melody (30) is a Zimbabwean lady surviving on small wage jobs such as washing clothes or cleaning houses. She lives in Mogoditshane in a hostel with her 2 kids. The yard consists of 18 hostel units with each one housing more than 2 people, the hostel has more than 50 people.

The COVID -19 lockdown has affected Melody and her sons, as she is forced to stay home and not work. And this means she doesn’t have more money to provide for her sons as she normally does.

Because of the uncontrolled movement in the yard, she is scared for her kids, she doesn’t allow them to play outside, so they stay inside the room and watch cartoons.

“The father of my children is locked in Francistown where he works, I wish he was here, I miss him, the kids also miss him, I just want this Virus to end for everything to go back to normal”

Botswana began its 28 day lockdown period on the 3rd of April 2020, implementing tough prevention measures. As a result of the lockdown there are empty streets and very limited economic activity happening around. Botswana has recorded 20 cases of COVID-19 and 1 death to date.
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