Integrating the Informal Social Security Arrangements into the Formal Sector in Botswana

This paper makes an attempt to define informal social security and discusses the role of traditional support systems and extended family as social security institutions. Self organised mutual support systems which are neighbourhood or community-based informal systems that go beyond kinship and family ties are discussed. The African traditional values such as “botho” “ubuntu” and “harambee” are discussed. The idea that formal and informal social security systems having the same goal is advanced and that it is possible to build synergies between the two systems. Finally that an integrative approach needs to be adopted between the nonformal and the formal systems of social security.