Glimpses of life before COVID-19 in Jao
In the middle of a river and roaming deadly wild animals, the people of Jedibe in Jao Flats are still leading the old normal life free from facemasks and infrared thermometers. Mmegi Staff Writer THALEFANG CHARLES recently visited the island
Imagine a place where people do land after many years. not wear facemasks. Not at Donald The VDC chairperson, Tshwenyego, Trump rallies - right here in Bosays the school construction is only tswana. A place where there are no gun awaiting the sewage system for the teachthermometers aimed at your body. No ers’ quarters before completion. sanitisers constantly sprayed onto your They are hoping that by the beginning hands to kill the near-invincible virus. of 2021 they will finally have their young
Just like in the good old normal days children attending school at home. Tshwhen people did not frown at you when wenyego is delighted about the school they see your mouth and nose [at time saying that it will help to grow their vilbefore the deadly novel coronaviruslage.
(COVID-19)]. That is how life still is at hen the deadly wave of the virus hit Jedibe village in Jao Flats inside the OkaBotswana, Jedibe felt like the safest place vango Delta. in the country. Although Tshwenyego
Jedibe is a small island located on the was the only one who remembered to NG24 with less than 300 people. It has a bring a facemask when meeting us, the clinic – the people say it was built by ‘Iyman believes they are safe from COene’ (former president Ian Khama) but VID-19 in Jedibe. His worries are only there are no nurses working at the health with the visitors. facility rather one health assistant (Rra“Re ka kopana le yone kae corona tota, boitekanelo), who is not even qualified ha ese lona le tlang ka yone?” said Tshweto prescribe paracetamol to patients. The nyego when asked about their fears for only other government officer is the amthe virus. bulance boat rider and it too is credited Their other worries are elephants that to the former president because the army keep destroying their property, (and apparently donated it after the commuthose are part of their life, they have nity pleaded with Khama for assistance. learnt to live with wild animals) not the
Jedibe has always been on a form of invincible enemy that has changed life as natural social distancing protocol beknown before and gotten everyone covcause it is an island. Even though the ered up. first nationwide lockdown included the A couple of days staying in Jedibe is island residents, they never really had to enough to make one feel they are back to comply because their location cuts them the good old life before COVID-19. The from the rest of the country, let alone the people of Jao just go about their lives as if world. nothing has happened.
To access Jedibe, one has to use either There are no facemasks there. They mokoro, which is a whole day of polstill wake up to go into the river to fish ing from either Etsha or Seronga. Other with their small dugout canoes (mefaster transport modes are a speedboat, koro). They still chill under the shades of which is about two hours from Etsha the big acacia trees to lazily chat their day when the water levels are good or by air. away. The elbow-benders still meet at the Jedibe has a well-maintained airstrip on local traditional brewer for some social the south of the island. drinking of motseme (traditional beer
Currently the village is vaguely headed made from palm oil). by a Village Development Committee During our second night at the village, (VDC) chairperson, Gabaitsewe Tshwethe local traditional music group called nyego following the passing on of the vilMamore came to our campsite behind lage chief, Johane Xologwe last year. the clinic and gave us a free show around
The government has finally started the fire. The women of the group, with building a school, which is expected their long skirts made from reeds, shook to be complete in 2021. There are two and gyrated their hips seductively to classrooms built with river reeds (letlswing the letlhaka in a beautiful Diware haka), an administration block and two dance. teachers’ quarters made from modified The campfire show turned out to be a caravans. refreshing party scene that we previously
The school is powered by solar energy, witnessed many months ago, before COwhich has brought electricity onto the is- VID-19 engulfed the old normal.