Education Africa would like to embark on a partnership with the Work Force Group - which currently runs a successful and efficient nationwide HIV/Aids education programme - to ensure that its work is extended to reach South Africa's youth.
We propose to undertake this by focusing on the following three key areas:
- The writing of and provision of educational materials for school learners.
- The provision of primary healthcare by healthcare teams.
- The provision of home-based care kits.
Educational materials
Outcomes-based educational materials will be written and distributed free of charge to South African secondary schools and training will be provided on the materials. The educational programme will be packaged with one facilitator's guide and 40 learner workbooks.
The 35-minute lesson units will explore topics such as:
- HIV/Aids - preventative measures, the contracting and spreading of the virus.
- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) - preventative measures, contracting of viruses, treatment and the link between STDs and the contraction of HIV/Aids.
- Home-based care.
- Nutrition.
- Life-skills - the rights of children and the right to treatment, etc.
- How to access state programmes.
- Information on government grants.
- The educational material will also link into various other disciplines.
Education Africa has a proven track record in writing such outcomes-based materials for schools. We are currently reaching over 90 000 learners nationally in South Africa with our Edu-bike programme. Education Africa will take direction from the Centre for the Study of HIV/Aids at the University of Pretoria when writing these materials.
Provision of primary healthcare
Healthcare teams will be established in areas of high need, mostly in rural regions where the rate of HIV infection is highest and where access to healthcare facilities is limited. Fifteen teams will operate in a chosen area.
These healthcare teams are made up of nursing sisters and assistants who will provide the following services:
- Education and training.
- Voluntary testing and treatment of STDs, reducing the risk of HIV/Aids and related infections.
- Voluntary testing for HIV/Aids. Patients testing positive will be referred to the state health system after receiving counselling and being informed about their right to treatment.
- Identifying orphans and other vulnerable children in the schooling system, providing counselling and informing the necessary authorities.
- Home-based care. The healthcare teams will liaise with schools who will identify parentless families. Home-based care kits will be provided to these families and home-based care-givers will visit the frail, providing the necessary assistance.
The home-based care kits will consist of:
- Analgesics, skin ointment and cream, cough medication, bandages, medication for mouth sores and other essentials.
- Personal care products.
- Essential items for household care.
Our vision
Education Africa will commit to establishing a national management team and 15 healthcare teams operating in identified areas of high need. The healthcare teams will be employed by Work Force, which has proven expertise in this field, with some 60 offices countrywide in South Africa as well as mobile clinics, screening and other facilities to ensure the provision of primary healthcare. Each healthcare team will visit three schools each day, thus reaching 15 schools and an estimated number of 7 500 learners each week.
The healthcare teams will be set up in rural areas where the incidence of HIV/Aids is highest and where access to healthcare facilities is more difficult.
Education Africa will also commit to training home-based care-givers, and home-based care kits will be distributed by these care-givers.
Education Africa, in conjunction with the Centre for the Study of HIV/Aids at Pretoria University, will undertake to write the necessary outcomes-based education materials, which will then be distributed to schools. Once funding has been committed, writing, design and printing will take about six months to completion. It is estimated that 90 000 learners in the adolescent and peri-adolescent phase will be reached within the first year of distribution of these materials.
What this will achieve:
- The early identification and treatment of STDs will reduce HIV/Aids infection.
- The education of the youth will provide learners with the ability to make informed decisions about their health and thus their future. Should HIV infection already exist, the youth will be informed about their rights to treatment and care.
- The distribution of home-based care kits will provide homes with essential products to enable members of the family to take control of their healthcare delivery. Families in close communities can share and barter the contents of the kits and it had been found that the kits brought families together and enabled them to support each other. People could even find work in this way. It was furthermore found that because people receiving care were consequently experiencing an improvement in personal health, they were being talked to more, touched more and included in family activities.
- Home-based care-givers are able to monitor parentless households and offer advice and training to vulnerable children.
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A track record
already exists
Work Force and Work Force Healthcare
The Work Force Group has been in existence since 1972. Its HIV programme is education-driven and strives to promote an awareness and understanding of HIV, to try and prevent further spread of the virus and encourage voluntary counselling and testing. The intention is to equip families with knowledge about the disease in an effort to change attitudes and perceptions and encourage personal behavioural changes.
In order to make this HIV programme available to learners and their educators in South Africa, Education Africa is seeking corporate sponsorship or funding. If you or your company would like to get involved and make a difference, please contact Linda Gould at Education Africa on
telephone (011) 888-6043.
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