The Mt Kenya Times 
Dr. Paula O.M. Otukile
By: Our Correspondent
Worth Noting:
- Talking to Dr Otukile she said, she was inspired by the Dukwi refugee camp situation, when she went for her Gbv campaign awareness that one must not look at children in the traditional family set ups only, there are children at SOS, adopted kids all over the world are children too, and child at refugee centers are kids too, they needs protection and care.
- However the author emphasized she commended the ministry of Defense and Justice in Botswana, that they are doing an excellent job concerning school children as she saw a very amazing approach while in Dukwi and urge UNHRC and the ministry to continue to do the great job.
Dr. Paula O.M. Otukile is a Gender based violence activist from Mahalapye village. She is the founder of Annual Africa literature awards named Mulher Forte African literature awards.
Last year on the 10th of October 2022, she began a Gbv awareness in twelve schools in South west region schools in which she donated her Gbv children’s book called “Thato wishes to be a butterfly!”
The book is about a ten years old girl who is sexually abused by the gardener and the mother being physically abused by Thato’s father, this campaign was sponsored by German embassy in Gaborone under the small fund project program. This project was continued from August 2023 and will continue on to August 2024.
The author has released a new book named “Five important Human Rights!”
The book aims to help combat the children injustices and raise awareness on Children’s rights to help secure a peaceful and safe environment for children.
Talking to Dr Otukile she said, she was inspired by the Dukwi refugee camp situation, when she went for her Gbv campaign awareness that one must not look at children in the traditional family set ups only, there are children at SOS, adopted kids all over the world are children too, and child at refugee centers are kids too, they needs protection and care.
However the author emphasized she commended the ministry of Defense and Justice in Botswana, that they are doing an excellent job concerning school children as she saw a very amazing approach while in Dukwi and urge UNHRC and the ministry to continue to do the great job.
The book does not have to be read in Botswana only, the war between Palestine and Israel is an indication that disintegration of families and disrupt can come any time, and when it does, children are more vulnerable and that is when they need to be protected the most.
It is high time we simply forget about selfish deeds and accommodate more people in our families if we afford more.
The recession has rendered many families to be without food, decent accommodation and there are those with more space if it is possible why not help those who cannot afford.
Children needs to be taught about their rights inorder to allow them to be able to differentiate between just and injustice in their everyday lives.
Dr Otukile is pleased to introduce a new in the shelves. Five important Human rights, amongst the lot, is an introduction to human rights to children under the age of 18.
She highlighted the following ;
- The right to life.
- The right to education .
- the right to health.
- The right to shelter.
- The right to freedom of speech.
However;
These include the right to a fair trial, freedom from torture and other cruel and inhuman treatment, freedom of religion, and the rights to an adequate standard of living.
In a society where Gbv is rife, arming children with their rights is very important because they shall know what to do when disasters occurs.
The book shall be delivered upon request and shall be distributed to Bala bookstores and Botswana Book center where Dr Otukile had been selling Overcoming failure and the Poetry Soup Poetry Anthology.
The author encourages the writers to write books that aligns with the societal issue and resonates with people because the ground is still crusty for authors to penetrate as locally books are not much valued when it comes to being bought.
In general few families owns a library, or collect books, and bedtime stories are a rare thing, meaning that only a few category buys books hence the book market suffers a lot. Therefore the book fraternity should look into aspects and areas that are more important in order to sell well.
The newly established Botswana National Arts Council got grants that helps with literacy travel, arts which is an opportunity for authors to explore when the calls are open, the Ministry of Youth, Sports, And Culture also under department of National Library services got grants for local authors, and it is an avenue that authors can boost their writing entrepreneurship with.
Dr Otukile advised the upcoming authors to register with Cipa to get a business then also after registering with CosBots for copyrights they must include all stakeholders in growing their craft, and attend seminars if the need be.
The Botswana national library services is always open to support authors in any form and locally produced books must be registered or two copies be sent physically and this helps authors to be in the database.
Dr Otukile said she is excited to see a more emancipated and enthusiastic generation that loves writing despite low readership. The rise of self publishing has made more bogus publishers increase in the industry that calls for copy right protection to avoid using a book with an isbn or bar code already existing, or other people using work of an author without permission.
On the importance of human rights, Dr Otukile says, love, kindness and promotion of virtues Daily can help liberate the people from more injustices.
A neighbor must encourage others to allow their children to study or go to school, and rebuke others from child labour.
On her projects she intends to Collaborate with a South African Opera singer Jamakazi to translate the book into a song, that will send more message to the people about human rights.
Contact her on Facebook (Pequeno Paulihna) Paula O.M.Otukile.
Email: PaulaOtukile@gmail.com
0026777458029 WhatsApp.
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- Mt Kenya Times ePAPER July 21, 2026
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