Malebogo Molefhe


Malebogo Molefhe 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.

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.
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 due to spinal injury. The attacker then shot himself dead.
Malebogo has become an advocate for survivors of gender-based violence 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.
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.
On 29 March 2017 she and 12 other women of other nationalities were recognized by the US Department of State and given an International Women of Courage Award in Washington, D.C... She was the first Botswana woman to receive such an award. 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.