M.Ed. / This research was conducted in order to elicit and describe the perceptions of a group of young women who have participated in the Umendomuhle Community Education Project as to how it has influenced their lives. The secondary aim was to discover weaknesses and strengths in the project, and to help improve it. The Umendomuhle Community Education Project was initiated in order to increase the number of adult learners at the community centre, to help improve the standard of living for the community, and to empower young women with practical skills so as to increase self-employment. The project’s secondary aims were to develop the young women’s independence and to free them from the mentality of perceiving men as their source of income. This study was conducted with a sample of ten young women participating in the Umendomuhle community development project. The findings indicated that participants developed a change in self-esteem by respecting and trusting the self, respecting others, developing values acceptable to community and interpersonal skills. They also developed practical skills like agricultural skills, business skills, and personal finance management.

M.Ed. / The aim of this research was to explore African women's experience of their multiple role involvement while engaged in Adult Education and Training (ABET) programmes at the ABET centre in the Gauteng Province. I argue that African women in ABET have different experiences of their multiple roles to their Western counterparts, and for this reason, ABET providers should understand the experiences, needs and characteristics of African women in ABET in order to design flexible courses and give effective learner support. The research question that guided the research reported on in this essay is: What are the experiences of African women of their multiple role involvement while engaged in ABET? In the light of the above, qualitative research was conducted using personal interviews for data collection. Eight participants were purposefully selected by maximum variation sampling to represent the widest possible range of experience. They were interviewed in order to arrive at a deeper understanding of these experiences. The data gathered were then analysed and findings written up. The findings of this research indicate that rural African women have to balance the role of learner with that of worker, home maker, wife, mother, and communal worker. In addition, the entrenched system of patriarchy in many African societies denies rural women any form of personal support structure with women often encountering direct opposition to their attempts at selfimprovement. It is my contention that ABET programmes are not flexible enough to accommodate these multiple roles. The learner's responses in the interviews contain important suggestions on how to improve ABET programmes. The study concludes with the recommendation for ABET programmes.

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / This thesis explored the relationship between community adult education and social action. The study investigated how LEAD (Leadership Education for Action and Development), a non-governmental organisation based in the Western Cape, has empowered women to assume leadership and take social action in their communities. / South Africa

Title from title page of PDF (University of Missouri--St. Louis, viewed February 23, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-129).

The aim of this research was to establish the women’s perceptions, opinions and feelings on the practise of safe sex and HIV/AIDS to see if there is correlation between sexual behaviour and the level of education. The ultimate aim was to determine, and to raise awareness of, the need for empowerment of women through integrating HIV/AIDS issues and literacy at the community level. In this study it appeared that gender inequality is among other factors fuelling the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS. Statistics have proven that women are both amongst those infected and have the highest rate of illiteracy. Thus it is important to instil skills, knowledge, values and attitudes (SKVAs) and thus enhance women’s lives. The question that guided the research reported in this study is: How can women be empowered with skills, knowledge, values and attitudes to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS, to better their own lives and to become active change agents in their community? Investigations of this study prompted the researcher to review literature related to empowerment of women. The theoretical foundation discussed the elements related to the research question. Theoretical elements discussed are: empowerment, literacy and HIV/AIDS issues. This literature survey served the purpose of checking the validity of my claim, and returned a “valid” verdict. In the light of the above, a qualitative research methodology was adopted, using personal interviews for data collection. Eight participants were selected by purposive sampling to represent the widest possible range of perspectives, experiences and needs, and the interviews were designed to arrive at a deeper understanding of those experiences and needs. The data gathered were then analysed and findings written up. The findings of this research indicated that women had knowledge about HIV/AIDS and perceived seriousness of the diseases. They were, to an extent misinformed, about the use of condoms and were scared of the repercussions. As such they were exposed to exploitation due to subordination and were eventually vulnerable to contract illnesses. In addition, the factor of gender inequality denies opportunities of empowerment to women, who often encounter direct opposition to their attempts at self-improvement, thereby staying in their “destitute” positions forever. Women interviewed for this study suffered stress and frustration with irresponsible partners. Their multiple roles, as well as household chores, hinder their active participation in any programmes. It is my contention that, to be liberated, women need to be empowered and all forms of discrimination and gender inequality, that block their pursuit of areas of interest, need to be totally eliminated. The women’s responses in the interview contain important suggestions on the needs for empowerment programmes through integrating HIV/AIDS issues and literacy at community level. The study concludes with the recommendations for the need for empowerment programmes. / Dr. M.C. van Loggerenberg

This study identified the problems of mature college women students, assessed their intensity, and described relationships between the intensity of problems and the following seven demographic variables: number of credit hours for which they were currently enrolled, number of hours previously earned, age range, marital status, number of dependent children, age range of youngest child, and estimated total annual family income range. The Introductory Chapter includes the problem, purposes, research questions, background and significance, definitions, and limitations of the study. Chapter II contains a review of the literature concerning mature women, with a focus on two areas: (a) motivation for enrolling in college and (b) measured personality traits. The need for further research on the problems of mature women is also presented. Chapter III describes the subjects, the development of the questionnaire, procedures for the collection of data, and the method of treatment of the data. The findings are reported in Chapter IV. The summary, conclusions and recommendations are presented in Chapter V.

This thesis explored the relationship between community adult education and social action. The study investigated how LEAD (Leadership Education for Action and Development), a non-governmental organisation based in the Western Cape, has empowered women to assume leadership and take social action in their communities.

Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 47-49).

This thesis explored the relationship between community adult education and social action. The study investigated how LEAD (Leadership Education for Action and Development), a non-governmental organisation based in the Western Cape, has empowered women to assume leadership and take social action in their communities.

The study aimed at investigating the role played by ABET programmes in the development of rural black women in the Omusati Region. The study was to determine whether the ABET programmes that are provided in the area are offering relevant education that helps the women of the area in their development. The research findings indicated that the ABET programmes offered are not providing the relevant skills needed to develop the women participants. The programmes that are offered concentrate on literacy and numeracy, and it seem not to be very effective in making a difference to the women's lives. Women needs skills that can help them generate income to improve their living conditions. The study, in summary, established that the programmes offered by the ABET centres would be more effective if skills training is included to uplift and improve the lives of the participants on a social, economical as well as educational level. / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M. Tech. (Human Resource Development)