WE ARE:
Unequivocally African
Unapologetically Queer
Our Story
We have come far from our advocacy blogging, to unregistered group status, to formally registering (CR 11551) and scaling impact. From social entrepreneurship to grassroots non-profit operating models, we have learned and scaled within the limited cards we’ve been dealt.
WE ARE
Unapologetically Queer
Unequivocally African
October 2012
Botswana Pride
Everybody now admits that apartheid was wrong, and all I did was tell the people who wanted to know where I came from how we lived in South Africa. I just told the world the truth. And if my truth then becomes political, I can’t do anything about that.
First ever alternative to Johannesburg pride
On 6 October 2012, the first ever alternative to Johannesburg pride event was created for solidarity. Those who could not afford to attend Johannesburg Pride were given the space to freely be and connect. Although it was a volunteer initiative under another LGBT organisation; promises to support were unfulfilled, leaving three young volunteers of that organisation to start a new path towards autonomously exercising agency and working towards organizing for themselves. Having done it without funding or support from the LGBT organisation, the three decided to take up the challenge to set up one that is true and non-extractive to its vision. PinkAnatomyBW was formed as the first LGBTIQ+ affirming citizen reporting media tool. Advocacy blogging on LGBTIQ+ issues, conducting research and curating content for LGBTIQ+ youth.
October 2013
Annual General Meeting
There is no longer anything I can fear. There is nothing the government has not done to me. There isn’t any pain I haven’t known – 1987
Unprecedented election to Chair an LGBT organisation
In an unprecedented election to Chair an LGBT organisation, having been a support group focal point for Gaborone and an HIV peer educator, one of the founders navigated politics and variant stakeholder dynamics rooted in gate keeping and interpersonal relations. That fateful weekend morning included having one of the most prominent activists pay for our founder’s membership to attend the Annual General Meeting. As attendees deliberated that the nominated office bearers were inadequate, our founder ended up nominated from the floor and elected as Chair. As a 23-year-old corporate professional elected to oversee what came to be and environment of questionable practices, ethics and ineffectiveness – our founder resigned in April 2014. Requests by the organisation’s previous leadership to return were declined.
December 2014
Gate Keeper
If you stick a knife in my back 9 inches and pull it out 6 inches, that’s not progress. If you pull it all the way out, that’s not progress. The progress comes from healing the wound that the blow made. They haven’t begun to pull the knife out…They won’t even admit the knife is there.
Participatory fund mechanism shortlists the organisation
A participatory fund mechanism shortlisted the organisation, only for the project idea and funds to be given a different organisation that had not been in the application process. This was discovered later in 2015, reflecting the toxic and gate keeper dynamics of queer organizing.
March 2015
Registered
The world, like a dream full of attachments and aversions seams real until the awakening.
Success Capital is registered
The organisation is registered. Paving the way to explore additional funding mechanisms.
January 2017
Countrywide Project
When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less important whether I am afraid.
Protracted delays spanning almost 6 months
Having secured support with protracted delays spanning almost 6 months due to bureaucracy. A scaled countrywide project dominates the year’s activities. This growth unprecedented in terms of impact and stakeholder engagements, results in conflict and politics reflective of wider civil society dynamics. Reporting, volunteers and leadership are all stalled or compromised.
October 2018
African Commission
…the ideology of Africa’s Agenda 2063 in ensuring all of us who are Unequivocally African and Unapologetically Queer can thrive in a complex and challenging world.
First independent submission
First independent submission to the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights.
February 2019
Civicus
Social environments make it ideal for someone to explore who they are…influencing one’s confidence, you learn a lot more from exposure than from just being limited to discrimination.
Most scaled and successful project
The most scaled and successful project yet commences, under the CIVICUS Youth department’s Goalkeeper Youth Action Accelerator programme.
October 2019
Growth Path
I write these to help the next person who may be going through what I went through know that they are not alone. I do not in any way want anyone to feel sorry for me because I am genuinely learning how to do all this myself.
Challenging but fruitful year
A challenging but fruitful year. The collective reflects on its growth path. This growth looks like there is a shift from organizational survival. There is hope and work to do. This includes reviewing previous successes, relationships and outputs.
January 2020
Challenging and Underfunded
What difference do it make if the thing you scared of is real or not?
Productivity at an all time low
Probably the most challenging and underfunded of periods, with stress on cashflow and volunteers. Productivity at an all time low, with limited engagements and work. Reflections teach us of the importance of being busy. That it is more to do with distracting one from poverty and related struggles, rather than burning out. More to do with a lack of securing opportunities than shortcomings of them or facing challenges. There is no rest when there is no prospect for future livelihood. The emotional and mental tax of not having, is far more costly that having something to work and navigate with. Hard lessons learned.
February 2020
Engagement
And sneer at my short-trimmed finger nails. They deem my advocacy too radical…”She’s too hot to be one of us!” Feminists drunk with religion. Roll their judgmental eyes heavenward and shandaramana at my brazenness. They finger their leather-bound scriptures and distance themselves from my activism. They pray and praise and tithe but keep away from the trenches. They deem my praises too immoral…”She’s too worldly to be one of us!”
Engage more domestically
Collective resolve to engage more domestically, to meet demand and explore mainstream avenues of organizing in country.
April 2020
Brand
The secret of our success is that we never, never give up.
New brand launch
Success Capital’s re-brand cements a legacy of conflict and challenge, both internal and external in fulfilling a mandate that prioritizes its constituents in an affirmative and autonomous manner. It is anchored on achieving equitable transformation for the community it serves, along with peers and other young people in Botswana and Africa at large.
July 2020
Covid-19
most days, resiliency feels like a burden
Covid-19 Survival
COVID-19 related precautions impacting mental wellbeing, livelihood and variant forms of security spiraling additional community and home care work, emergency response services and burnout. Suicide prevention, community health referral services and the birth of FeministA thanks to The Urgent Action Fund Africa, The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust and the National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency (on behalf of The Global Fund).
October 2020
Labour
Leadership is working 10-hour days, studying 5 post-graduate programmes whilst working full time and running a grassroots NGO with national, regional and global impact over 5 years. It’s not optional or choice. It’s a verb. It’s Black African Queer Feminist Youth Excellence
Fruits Of Labour
Strategic networking, strengthened infrastructure and previous speaking engagements resulting in an unprecedented increase in project funding both internationally and domestically. Re-invigorating SRHR & Climate Justice inter sectional work through The Climate Justice Resilience Fund via the New Venture Fund and supported by various donors from the September 2019 People’s Summit. Further strengthened by domestic engagements supported by the French Embassy’s PISCCA and Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.
December 2020
Rest
We don’t want a seat at the table. The table has always been full of oppressors. We want to rest.
Radical, Revolutionary Rest
A Queer Christmas Camp held for LGBTIQ+ Youth whose homes aren’t welcoming and enabling of their beauty and diversity. Closing out the year from an additional amazing series of Gender Equity, Bodily Autonomy, African Peer Review Mechanism, Legislative Review and Creative Activism engagements across rural Botswana supported by ARASA, Purposeful and The Equal Rights Trust. Domestic engagement truly reflecting our impact in Kang, Kasane, Kazungula, Maun, Mahalapye, Molepolole, Mookane, Nata, Gaborone, Ghanzi, Gumare, Palapye and Serowe.
February 2021
Feminist
I embrace the label of bad feminist because I am human. I am messy. I’m not trying to be an example. I am not trying to be perfect. I am not trying to say I have all the answers. I am not trying to support what I believe in. Trying to do some good in this world. Trying to make some noise with my writing while also being myself.
Forging Feminist Futures
Imagining and carving out our future has always been a fundamental aspect of our existence. Doing the work whether or not there is funding, partners or interest from allies and enablers. Feministing in February positions our knowledge production, sharing and influencing beyond the development and philanthropic limits impost on neoliberal, linear programming and advocacy. Intersectionality and Decolonisation supported by our sheer will, passion and ethos for community collaboration.
Success Capital Organisation is a non-profit organization registered with the Registrar of Societies of the Government of Botswana [CR11551].
Success Capital is a proudly African and unapologetically LGBTIQ+ Youth led, managed and serving organization that links grassroots experiences with global and regional mechanisms.
Success Capital’s work is centered on moving LGBTIQ+ youth from a state of survival to one of success.
This is achieved through strengthening and safeguarding agency in the form of voice and visibility within human rights, sustainable development and the systemic frameworks that impede LGBTIQ+ Youth from thriving in socio-economically complex environments.
Success Capital’s work is centered on three pillars:
1
participatory decolonized knowledge production
2
peer to peer systemic
knowledge sharing
3
supporting variant forms of civic action and participation
At least three groups/organisations have been formed. Mistakes have been made along the way. Volunteers have come and gone. However, the premise of exercising youth agency and occupying spaces of decision making remains the fundamental driver of our work.
Historically averaging USD 7500 per year in annual funding, our work is long-term, feminist and radical. It challenges all forms of privilege, patriarchy and power within and outside civil society. This includes donors, intermediaries and partners we engage with. We do not believe in equality, we stand for equity.
WE ARE
Unapologetically Queer
Unequivocally African
Unapologetically Queer
Unequivocally African
