Submitted in Partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the Masters Degree in Social Work at the University of Zululand, 2010. / KwaZulu-Natal is at the heart of Aids pandemic, with HIV prevalence figures consistently higher than other provinces.The basic purpose of this research is to assess the impact of Thandukuphila HIV/AIDS Community Based - Care Centre on the lives of HIV/AIDS infected and affected people (beneficiaries), which is situated in a rural township established on the precincts of a vast tribal area in the northern part of Kwazulu-Natal province. This HIV/AIDS Community Based - Centre was initiated as a response by some community members, initially it was church based, the church was challenged by the difficult health problems and social situations experienced by some of their community people, who were being devastated by the disease, HIV/AIDS, both inside the township and the neighboring rural area. In–depth interviews were utilized to seek more information from these knowledgeable individuals regarding their own and other peoples’ experiences, who are beneficiaries of Thandukuphila and, also those involved in many other ways. A purposive sample of nine participants’ from Thandukuphila CBO, which is situated at Enseleni was purposefully selected for the study. All participants were beneficiaries of Thandukuphila Community based care centre. These individuals were identified for their potential to elicit valuable information since they are beneficiaries of the programme. The individuals were also identified according to the criteria for inclusion. There were four groups of participants: i) PLWA, ii) OVC, iii) Caregivers/Volunteers, iv) Committee members. The review of literature gives some detailed analytical views on the prevalence of the pandemic HIV/AIDs in Kwa-Zulu Natal. The aspect of community –home based care is discussed, for the role it is playing as well as the contribution it is making, albeit, in a limited manner because of resources, expertise and support from formal authority structures. The narrative discussion intertwines quotations with the author’s interpretations. Also in data analysis the researchers “seek to identify and describe patterns and themes from the perspective of the participants” Creswell (1994:167). Throughout the study report the research hints at limitations the organization has to contend with and these are briefly indicated in a nutshell towards the end. The set objectives for the study were achieved. The findings indicated that Thandukuphila Community Based -Care Centre has a positive and significant impact on the lives of HIV/AIDS infected and affected people, who are beneficiaries of the program. However, it is the researcher’s informed opinion that responsible Government Departments need to put more effort on assisting since they have professional personnel, in monitoring and evaluating the standard of services rendered by these Community Based Care Centres.

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Clinical Psychology) in the Department of Psychology, University of Zululand, 2011. / Compassion fatigue and burnout have the potential to compromise the ability of caregivers to work effectively, while compassion satisfaction may serve a protective function. This study investigated levels of compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction among caregivers, and explored relationships between these and caregivers’ personal attributes. Eighty-three caregivers working in the field of HIV and AIDS in the uMngeni Municipality in the Kwa Zulu-Natal midlands completed two self-report questionnaires, the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL, Stamm, 2009), and another regarding their personal attributes. Respondents showed an overall pattern of relatively high Compassion Satisfaction, average level of Burnout, and a very high level of Secondary Traumatic Stress, a profile usually associated with people working in situations of armed conflict. Compassion Satisfaction was negatively correlated with Burnout and Secondary Traumatic Stress, while Burnout was positively correlated with Secondary Traumatic Stress. Significant effects were found with the following personal attributes: (1) gender; (2) role clarity; (3) perceived efficacy; (4) secondary stigma; (5) social support; (6) personal history of HIV or AIDS; (7) access to counselling or therapy; (8) organisational support; and (9) self-care. Implications of these findings are discussed with reference to sustainable care, intervention and further research.