The HIV and AIDS epidemic remains a major health concern among the Namibian population despite interventions to mitigate it. The creation of awareness about the epidemic through school curricula is one of the government’s interventions. However, the provision of Sexuality, HIV and AIDS education in schools today is based on adult ideas of what they feel is right for young people to learn. This leave learners vulnerable and inadequately supported regarding possible questions they may have in this context. With vast amount and variety of conflicting information available to young people regarding their sexuality; and how their sexuality can and should be expressed, some of this information leads them to engage in risky behaviours that exposes them to HIV infection. Hence the need to involve young people in the development of the curriculum, to meet their educational needs in context of sexuality, HIV and AIDS. In this study, evidence for including learners in the construction of educational content regarding sexuality education is sought. This qualitative study used a phenomenological research design, interpretive paradigm and a participatory arts-based research methodology. Drawings, Vignettes (Agony Aunt) and follow-up focus group discussions were used to generate data with junior and senior learners, aged 15-24, from two secondary schools situated in the Oshikoto region of Namibia. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory underpinned and decipher the findings of this study. The findings revealed that the school curriculum has informed learners on Sexuality, HIV and AIDS matters. The data generated about what they want to learn revealed that there is a need for more information on matters of sexuality, HIV and AIDS, which are not provided by the current education system. The data also revealed that the information that young people are exposed to is mostly associated with myths and misconceptions. This study thus recommends that a more comprehensive sexuality education, which takes into account learners’ needs, be provided in order for them to be guided appropriately on issues concerning their sexuality in the context of HIV and AIDS, so that we can move towards as HIV free world.

<p>A global prospecting and mining leader recognizes HIV/AIDS as a threat to the company and its employees. The management has committed them to have a proactive approach trying to minimize the impact of this killing disease by putting in place effective workplace programmes. However, programmes can only be successful if the employees&rsquo / needs regarding knowledge, attitudes and sexual practices have been thoroughly researched identified. The aim of this study was to do an explorative descriptive study of the knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and behaviours of the employees of a mining company in Namibia on HIV/AIDS. The objectives were:<br /> &diams / To measure the overall knowledge levels as well as attitudes and sexual practices of DBMN employees on HIV and STD&rsquo / s.<br /> &diams / To determine whether there was a difference in the knowledge levels, attitudes and sexual practices of employees in different job categories, age groups, marital status, religion and education level.<br /> &diams / To measure risky sexual behaviours of participants.</p> <p><br /> All employees (550) of this mining company were invited to participate in the survey and 226 employees responded. A self-constructed questionnaire was used to collect data administered in a group setting. The questionnaire was regarded as having content validity and the SPSS program was be utilized for descriptive statistics. Utilizing the ratio data developed through the indexes, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to determine significant difference between the means of the groups in comparison. Because multiple comparisons were done, a post hoc test (Fisher LSD) was used to determine significant differences between group means.</p>

<p>A global prospecting and mining leader recognizes HIV/AIDS as a threat to the company and its employees. The management has committed them to have a proactive approach trying to minimize the impact of this killing disease by putting in place effective workplace programmes. However, programmes can only be successful if the employees&rsquo / needs regarding knowledge, attitudes and sexual practices have been thoroughly researched identified. The aim of this study was to do an explorative descriptive study of the knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and behaviours of the employees of a mining company in Namibia on HIV/AIDS. The objectives were:<br /> &diams / To measure the overall knowledge levels as well as attitudes and sexual practices of DBMN employees on HIV and STD&rsquo / s.<br /> &diams / To determine whether there was a difference in the knowledge levels, attitudes and sexual practices of employees in different job categories, age groups, marital status, religion and education level.<br /> &diams / To measure risky sexual behaviours of participants.</p> <p><br /> All employees (550) of this mining company were invited to participate in the survey and 226 employees responded. A self-constructed questionnaire was used to collect data administered in a group setting. The questionnaire was regarded as having content validity and the SPSS program was be utilized for descriptive statistics. Utilizing the ratio data developed through the indexes, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to determine significant difference between the means of the groups in comparison. Because multiple comparisons were done, a post hoc test (Fisher LSD) was used to determine significant differences between group means.</p>

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: “My Future is My Choice” (MFMC) is an extra-curricular life skills programme in Na-mibia aimed at minimising the impact of HIV and AIDS among young people. The pro-gramme was introduced fourteen years ago and is believed to have had a significant im-pact on young people who were enrolled in and graduated from it. The programme tar-gets young people from grades 8 to 12. The purpose of this study was to assess how the “My Future is My Choice” Programme imparts knowledge and skills to young people in the Ompundja Circuit of the Oshana Directorate of Education, in Northern Namibia. This was an implementation evaluation study, following a qualitative approach to collect in-depth information. Data was collect-ed by two means: focus group interviews with an interview guide as an instrument, and analysis of documents. Purposeful sampling was used to select twenty young people from the population of young people who graduated from the programme. Young people from three secondary schools and one combined school were interviewed. The outcome of the study indicated that young people who graduated from the pro-gramme were better equipped with knowledge and skills that enable them to protect themselves from HIV infection. The study also indicated that the strategies used to im-plement the programme are crucial to the successful transfer of information to young people enrolled in the programme. However, some challenges which need immediate attention for improvement concern the number of participants, the content, a review of topics and the time allocated to the implementation of the programme. It is therefore recommended that recipients be consulted for input on what their needs are with regard to HIV and AIDS prevention. As the programme began fourteen years ago, its strategies now require updating and revision of the programme has become necessary. The revision of the programme will enable its facilitators to incorporate new ideas and methods of HIV prevention gained from over a decade of experience. It would also allow for the identification of young people’s needs and incorporate relevant topics that are not currently covered in the manual. Hence, collaboration between facilitators, learners, teachers, parents, communities and programme designers is a key element in ensuring the continued success of the “My Future is My Choice” Programme. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: “My Future is My Choice” (MFMC) is ʼn bykomende lewensvaardigheidsprogram in Namibië wat die impak van MIV en VIGs onder jongmense wil verminder. Die program is 14 jaar gelede ingestel en het na bewering ʼn beduidende uitwerking gehad op jongmense wat daarvoor ingeskryf het en dit voltooi het. Die program is afgestem op jongmense in graad 8 tot 12. Die doel van die studie was om te bepaal in watter mate die MFMC-program die jongmense in die Ompundja-distrik in die Onderwysdirektoraat van Oshana in Noord-Namibië met kennis en vaardighede toerus. Die studie het ʼn implementeringsevaluering behels, en het diepte-inligting met behulp van ʼn kwalitatiewe benadering ingesamel. Data is met behulp van fokusgroeponderhoude aan die hand van ʼn onderhoudsgids sowel as deur middel van dokumentontleding bekom. Twintig jongmense uit die groep wat die program suksesvol voltooi het, is met behulp van doelgerigte steekproewe gekies en onderhoude is met jeugdiges van drie hoërskole en een gekombineerde skool gevoer. Die uitkoms van die studie dui daarop dat jongmense wat die program voltooi het oor beter kennis en vaardighede beskik waarmee hulle hulle teen MIV-besmetting kan beskerm. Die studie het ook getoon dat die strategieë wat gebruik word om die program in werking te stel deurslaggewend is vir die suksesvolle oordrag van inligting aan diegene wat vir die program ingeskryf is. Tog is daar bepaalde uitdagings wat onmiddellike aandag verg, soos die aantal deelnemers, die inhoud, die onderwerpe, en die tyd wat vir die inwerkingstelling van die program beskikbaar gestel word. Daarom word aanbeveel dat, ten einde die MFMC-program te verbeter, diegene wat die program volg oor hulle behoeftes met betrekking tot MIV/vigs-voorkoming geraadpleeg word. Nou, 14 jaar nadat die program die eerste keer in werking gestel is, is dit duidelik dat die strategieë wat gebruik word verouderd is en dat die program dringend hersien moet word. Sodanige hersiening sal die programaanbieders in staat stel om nuwe idees en metodes vir MIV-voorkoming wat nie 14 jaar gelede bekend was nie, by die program in te sluit. Dit sal ook ʼn geleentheid bied om jongmense se werklike behoeftes te bepaal en ander onderwerpe aan te roer wat nie tans in die handleiding verskyn nie dog tersaaklik is. Daarom is samewerking tussen fasiliteerders, leerders, onderwysers, ouers, gemeenskappe en programsamestellers ʼn sleutelelement om die voortgesette sukses van die MFMC-program te verseker.