I got the chance to participate during Road Safety Christmas Campaign

Department of Road Transport and Safety organized Public educational Campaign on Road Safety related issues during public holidays.It is found that road accidents happen mostly during public holidays.I got the chance to participate during Road Safety Christmas Campaign to sensitize the public on road safety during christmas period.Our messages was regarding over speeding,seatbelts and drinking and driving.The first thing when planning a campaign is to look at the organization mission statement in order to clarify the objectives and goals of the PR program.The Department is aiming at 'To provide an efficient, effective, reliable, sustainable and safe road transport system'

I will say this was a very eye opening experience,i got the chance to apply what i learned in class to practical work,and also to learn from experienced PR personals on how to plan a campaign.We had a Video message which was playing in our local Television(BTV).It was playing just before the 7pm news.We believe that it was the right time because every one was home by then and getting ready to watch the news.We also did Fighting for road safety radio jingles from 20th December 2010 till second January 2011,We had a print message which appeared on daily news and on the Voice newspaper.And also Road safety tips message were sent to road users. The target was at least 100 000 drivers to receive this message .

During Christmas holiday were had Road operations tours where we were along road site ,we had 11 sites, we were targeting long distances drivers,like where i was,i was along 1A road, which is close to 250 KM from Gaborone (the capital city of Botswana).We did this so that we can stop drivers after 3 hours of driver from Gaborone,and also those who came further from Gaborone. We gave them advice on road safety related issues and encouraging them to drive safely. It started on 23rd December 2010 and ended on 3rd January 2011.I had a chance to interact with different people from different backgrounds. I will say it was very challenging to make people stop and listen to what we wanted to tell them but it was worth it because lives depended on it.

Always try to communicate , before media knocks at your door

There was a crisis in our Department, Our machines were failing to print the drivers license Cards. I asked my superviser if i can make an appointment with different media outlet for interviews ,so that we can inform people about this.She then went to confirm with the Head of IT if we can set appointments.Since he was the one who can explain the problem better.He told us to wait for a day since they are still working on it,guess what?a day turned to a week .Newspapers wrote about it,and radio stations called the office and ask about it.The department failed to communicate with the public about machines failing to print the drivers license Cards until media call us to confirm about it.

After this crisis , i learned that it is always advisable to communicate before a media call. i strongly agree with Babble On Communications President Susan McLennan ,when she says

''Be proactive. Break bad news yourself so you can ensure your side of the story is heard. Waiting for someone else to tell it means you will only be responding and not able to contextualize the issue in the most helpful way. Reach out to the media and make your website a destination by updating it with the information the media and the public want, including the bad news.''

it was very important for us ,as an organization to break the news first ,to ensure that people get the right side of the story and get all the facts,not just the negatives that came along.Head of IT wanted us to give him time first to fix the system while speed of response is more important than getting everything right.

Event management (WORLD DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR ROAD TRAFFIC VICTIMS)

hello everyone

I,m Florance kalaemang , a final year student in Limkokwing University

I was doing my internship at Department of Road Transport and Safety. It is a Government Department within the Ministry of Transport and Communication. It was established In 1989. I will say the internship was an eye opening experience; it helped me to grow as an individual and as a Public Relation professional. I had a chance to interact with different customers, staff and other Department’s stakeholders, to Write media release, Developing corporate image, Systematize and coordinate the promotion of a positive image of the Department and ensure that individuals and other companies that we are working with have access to all the information they require, Coordinate events; I also got the chance to work with media, I was arranging for interviews both for Radio and Television, when ever they want an interview with us, or when our Department need an interview and also inviting them to our events.

I got the chance to attend WORLD DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR ROAD TRAFFIC VICTIMS

In 2005 the United Nations (UN) and World Health (WHO) adopted a resolution which calls for Government to mark the third Sunday in November as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Our Department celebrated the main event in Ramotswa.

Then we had other events in different places through out December to; remember those who have succumbed to the road crashes scourge and their immediate families who will have to live with this unpleasant and painful experience for the rest of their lives, to raise awareness on all road users in respond of alarming road traffic injuries, death and the enormous economic cost of society, creating effective partnerships ,commitment and participation’s , to build momentum for safe traveling during Christmas and new festive season and beyond.

I will say people in Mahetwe were very cooperative, they took incentive of the whole event, they were responsible for cooking and serving as and entertainment. Our main job as a Department was just to run the program. We tried by all means to make sure that people in Mahatwe village feel that Road Safety is not only our responsibility as a Department but everyone's responsibility .We also had our other stakeholders like; a representatives from Motor Vehicle Fund who was assigned to say a speech, we also had a representative from Botswana police, Mahatwe primary school head teacher and Village Chief.

During the event I was assigned to help at the exhibition stall to sensitize the public about road safety and advice them on our to use road during Christmas period; this gave me an opportunity to have face to face communication with our key public.

I was told about this event on first day I arrived at the Department and I was advised to read all the leaf lets and broaches that we were using during the event, so that I can be able to answer people when they have any Questions.