The Influence of Local NGOs on Botswana’s Human Development in the 21st Century: A Case Study

Botswana is viewed as one of Africa’s brightest success stories. Its economy has grown almost unabated since the 1990s and, in spite of the terrible toll of the HIV/AIDS crisis, the country has managed to significantly increase its overall Human Development Index score, to the point where Botswana is now rated as a country with high human development. The state is largely seen as the main driver this socio-economic progress and is often praised for its sound management of resources, strong institutions, fiscal discipline, and coordinated response to HIV/AIDS. However, little analysis has been done looking at the role of civil society, and non-governmental organisations in particular, in the country’s development. This dissertation seeks to address that gap and find out what influence Botswana’s local NGO sector has had on the country’s educational, health, and economic development over the last 20 years. Measuring the influence of NGOs is notoriously difficult and, as such, this dissertation will use a case study approach combining a variety of methodologies – namely a Rapid Evidence Analysis (REA), expert surveys, and in-depth qualitative interviews – to generate findings and triangulate results. Results are presented individually for each of the three selected methodologies and are then critically discussed. Recommendations are also provided for future research in relation to the Botswana NGO sector. Though the NGO sector appears to have played an important role in Botswana’s health-related development over the last 20 years, especially in terms of combatting HIV/AIDS, the sector has had a much more mitigated impact in the areas of educational and economic development. Lack of funding, lack of support and strained relationships with government are important constraints for the sector, and are likely to be important limiting factors. There is also much that is not known about the sector in Botswana. Different methodological approaches and the inclusion of different perspectives would greatly serve to enrich our knowledge of the Botswana NGO sector.