Malebogo Molefhe

Malebogo Molefhe (born c. 1980) is a Botswanan basketball player who became an activist against gender based violence after being shot eight times. In 2017, she received an International Women of Courage Award.

Malebogo Molefhe
in 2017 at the award ceremony
Bornc. 1980
NationalityBotswana

Life

Molefhe was born about 1980. She was chosen to represent her country at basketball. She lives in Manyana. She played professional basketball since she was 18.She became crippled when she was 29.[1]

She grew up in the southern African nation of Botswana and lives south of Gabarone in the town of When she turned 18, she began playing basketball professionally. Her former boyfriend attacked her when she was 29.

In 2009, she was shot eight times by her boyfriend who was described as "deranged". She recovered but she uses a wheelchair[2] due to spinal injury.[3] The attacker then shot himself dead. [4]

Malebogo has become an advocate for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) and domestic abuse on Botswana radio. She has organised workshops and facilitated training with both state and non-governmental organizations in Botswana. She realises that there are cultural aspects that fail to discourage GBV and she volunteers to raise awareness of the need for change.[3]

Malebogo has taught young girls about self-esteem to enable them to resist gender oppression and other types of domestic abuse. She and the Botswana Ministry of Education has created a program for children to help learn about GBV in the home. Malebogo also encourages para sports and sports for women in general.[3]

On 29 March 2017 she and 12 other women of other nationalities [5] were recognized by the US Department of State and given an International Women of Courage Award in Washington, D.C..[6]. She was the first Botswana woman to receive such an award.[7] As the United Nations Population Fund has announced more than two third of Botswana women have faced in their life some kind of gender-based violence.[8]

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References
  1. "U.S. government gives injured Botswana hoops star award; Denver's Craig Hospital gives wheelchair". The Denver Post. 2017-04-10. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  2. "Shot By Her Boyfriend And Now Using A Wheelchair, She Found A 'New Me'". NPR.org. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  3. "Biographies of the Finalists for the 2017 International Women of Courage Awards". www.state.gov. Archived from the original on 2017-03-29. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  4. "Mmegi Online :: The brutal shooting of Malebo Molefhe". www.mmegi.bw. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  5. "U.S. government gives injured Botswana hoops star award; Denver's Craig Hospital gives wheelchair". The Denver Post. 2017-04-10. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  6. "First Lady Melania Trump Poses for a Photo With International Women of Courage Awardee Malebogo Molefhe of Botswana". Flickr. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  7. "Malebogo Molefhe Becomes The First Motswana To Receive Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award!". Botswana Youth Magazine. 2017-03-31. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  8. Nast, Condé. "I Was Shot By My Boyfriend. Now I'm Working to Make Sure That Doesn't Happen to Anyone Else". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
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