Robelela

Robelela is a village in Central District of Botswana. It is located south-east of Francistown, close to the border with Zimbabwe. The population was 471 in 2001 census. Robelela in the Bobirwa Sub-District, is the village closest to the Dikgathong Dam, scheduled to be completed in December 2011, will be the biggest dam in Botswana with a carrying capacity of 400 million cubic meters. A pipeline to Selebi-Phikwe is also scheduled to be completed at the same time as the dam, which will start in 2009, and it will take two years to construct.

The influx of construction workers for the three major components of the project, which includes a new tarred road, and the relocation of affected settlements has started ti increase the population of Robelela, and there is concern that these previously isolated communities are a high risk for HIV/AIDS and STD infections. Recognizing the risk of mobile communities for HIV and STD transmission, the Department of Water Affairs has contracted Tebelopele (the largest NGO in Botswana, responsible for HIV/AIDS Counseling and Testing) to implement a program of intervention, education and testing in the region