Civil society organizations and their capacity to implement HIV/AIDS programmes in Gaborone, Botswana

The purpose of this study was to understand capacity challenges in implementing HIV/AIDS services by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Gaborone, Botswana. A qualitative study was conducted among 50 systematically selected CSOs using a semi-structured interview schedule and record review. Results indicate a profile for the CSO activities including support services such as Voluntary Counselling and HIV Testing (VCT), couple counselling, support groups, home-based care, care for vulnerable children and to a lesser extent treatment support. There were significant capacity gaps and lack of funding to implement HIV/AIDS services. The CSOs had potential and critical mass in mobilising the community; however, most often lacked leadership capacity and systems for resource management. As a conclusion, CSOs in Gaborone do play a vital role in the fight against HIV/AIDS and their activities need to be coordinated to avoid fragmentation, duplication of work and to increase sustainability