In recent years, HIV/AIDS has become a major developmental challenge for Botswana. UNV is working with other UN agencies and the Government to combat the epidemic. In 2002, 29 UN Volunteers provided support to the National HIV/AIDS Programme, making it the largest concentration of UN Volunteers in the area of HIV/AIDS. In early 2003, three additional national UN Volunteers were fielded to work on HIV/AIDS issues related to youth in disadvantaged communities in the capital of Gaborone. One national UN Volunteer was recruited as a youth counsellor in a remote district of the country. Seven national UN Volunteers are now preparing to become HIV/AIDS stigma advisers under a joint project by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Botswana's Ministry of Health.

The year 2002 also saw the expansion of UNV's mixed-team approach with the consolidation of the national UN Volunteer modality, which was introduced a year earlier. Other UN Volunteers served under the United Nations International Short Term Advisory Resources (UNISTAR). UNV also benefited from the assistance of student interns from George Mason University in Virginia, USA. They participated in a two-month mission to Botswana to assist the WorLD Links for Development Programme by providing advice in information and communication technology. The UNV Programme Officer filled the gap by a colleague who left the country at the UN Resident Coordinators Office until a UN Volunteer policy adviser was recruited before the end of 2002. A new UNV Programme Officer funded by Germany was assigned to the country in March 2002. UNV also initiated a consultative process with other volunteer sending agencies and representatives of international donors, NGOs and foreign embassies with the aim to mainstream responses to developmental challenges in Botswana.

UN Volunteers' current contribution to Botswana
Currently, there are 36 UN Volunteers serving in Botswana. Of that total, 24 are supporting Botswana's National AIDS Programme, mainly as district HIV/AIDS advisers, project coordinators and community home-based care specialists. A fully-funded Belgian UN Volunteer serves with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as a population and development programming and coordination adviser, while a Filipino UN Volunteer advises as an agricultural expert funded by the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) initiative. Started in 1993, TICAD is a joint initiative by the Government of Japan, the UN and the Global Coalition for Africa (GCA) with the mandate of keeping Africa's development agenda at the forefront of global development priorities. Three additional UN Volunteers assist the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as a refugee camp manager, field protection officer and community service officer. Two UN Volunteers are working as training and ICT specialists for the Women's Affairs Department, Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs. Before the end of 2002, UNV recruited a UNV policy adviser to the UN Resident Coordinator's Office, and in early 2003, three national UN Volunteers began their assignment attached to the Urban Youth Project, a UNAIDS-initiated project to respond to HIV/AIDS challenges for young people living in disadvantaged communities.