There cannot be many countries where the winner of a beauty contest is named after a brand of condoms. But in Botswana, where more than a third of the adult population has HIV, “Miss Lovers Plus” is expected to be an ambassador for safe sex. She is not alone. Around Gaborone, the capital, taxis carry the brand logo on their sides. On a large billboard in the poor suburb of Old Naledi, an attractive young Botswanan man in sunglasses gazes out above the slogan “Lovers’ Plus every time”.

Onkabetse Nkoane drives his large Jeep, with boxes of condoms in the back ready for a quick sale, into a small mall of bars, alcohol shops and supermarkets. A sticker on the windscreen, sponsored by “Lovers Plus”, carries a message that applies to sex and fast driving alike: “Speed kills”.