During the past decade, South Africa has become the country with the highest number of HIV/AIDS infections in the world. In the wake of the widely spread HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa, hundreds of thousands of children are left parentless. Since limited research exists on the psycho-educational needs of children orphaned by AIDS in South Africa, the focus of this study was on their psycho-educational development. A literature study was conducted to investigate the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa and its consequences for the psycho-educational development of AIDS orphans. A qualitative investigation was undertaken and interviews were conducted with caregivers of AIDS orphans at two care centres in rural KwaZulu-Natal. The aim of the investigation was to identify the psycho-educational needs of AIDS orphans as perceived by their caregivers. Moreover, the investigation also aimed at identifying factors that impede the psycho-educational development of AIDS orphans, and to determine the extent to which these day care centres meet the psycho-educational needs of these orphans. The following psycho-educational needs of AIDS orphans emerged from the investigation: - the need to socialise and communicate - the need to cope with parental death - the need for acceptance - the need for security and care - the need for love and belonging - the need to deal with negative emotions Physical and material needs were added to the above needs, since these were frequently mentioned during the course of the interviews. Factors that seriously impeded the psycho-educational development of AIDS orphans were abuse and neglect. The investigation also revealed that the care centres were to a large extent able to meet a broad spectrum of these orphans’ psycho-educational needs, especially at the care centre where the AIDS orphans were able to sleep over and received the full-time attention caregivers. Since the extended family system can no longer fully carry the burden of hundreds of thousands of AIDS orphans in South Africa, care centres situated in the affected communities can offer a viable alternative to traditional models of care. The study emphasised the need for further research on the needs of AIDS orphans as well as increased support of AIDS orphans on local, provincial and national levels. / MEd (Learner support), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

During the past decade, South Africa has become the country with the highest number of HIV/AIDS infections in the world. In the wake of the widely spread HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa, hundreds of thousands of children are left parentless. Since limited research exists on the psycho-educational needs of children orphaned by AIDS in South Africa, the focus of this study was on their psycho-educational development. A literature study was conducted to investigate the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa and its consequences for the psycho-educational development of AIDS orphans. A qualitative investigation was undertaken and interviews were conducted with caregivers of AIDS orphans at two care centres in rural KwaZulu-Natal. The aim of the investigation was to identify the psycho-educational needs of AIDS orphans as perceived by their caregivers. Moreover, the investigation also aimed at identifying factors that impede the psycho-educational development of AIDS orphans, and to determine the extent to which these day care centres meet the psycho-educational needs of these orphans. The following psycho-educational needs of AIDS orphans emerged from the investigation: - the need to socialise and communicate - the need to cope with parental death - the need for acceptance - the need for security and care - the need for love and belonging - the need to deal with negative emotions Physical and material needs were added to the above needs, since these were frequently mentioned during the course of the interviews. Factors that seriously impeded the psycho-educational development of AIDS orphans were abuse and neglect. The investigation also revealed that the care centres were to a large extent able to meet a broad spectrum of these orphans’ psycho-educational needs, especially at the care centre where the AIDS orphans were able to sleep over and received the full-time attention caregivers. Since the extended family system can no longer fully carry the burden of hundreds of thousands of AIDS orphans in South Africa, care centres situated in the affected communities can offer a viable alternative to traditional models of care. The study emphasised the need for further research on the needs of AIDS orphans as well as increased support of AIDS orphans on local, provincial and national levels. / MEd (Learner support), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Factors that Impact on Learning in Orphanhood in Zimbabwe The aim of the study was to provide scientific knowledge on the factors impacting on the learning profile of orphans as compared to those who are not orphaned, and to identify the relationships between these factors and learning outcomes. This is a quantitative study and the Evaluation-Process and Outcome design was used. Structured quantitative data collection methods, questionnaires, interviews, observation and document analysis were used in this study. Maslow’s humanistic motivation theory of learning is the theoretical framework. The population included form four students and teachers from the Harare Metropole Province in Zimbabwe. A stratified random sampling procedure was used to sample schools, and the simple random procedure was used to sample both students and teachers. The experimental design was used to allow comparisons among orphans and between orphans and non-orphans. Ethical principles including consent, confidentiality and privacy were adhered to. Measures to uphold the quality of the study were applied. In the study it was found that in the peri-urban area, students who had been orphaned for one year or less performed poorly compared to other orphans and to non-orphaned students in their average examination marks, (p<. 023). Lack of books was significantly different amongst the non-orphaned and orphans (p<. 003), mostly affecting those orphaned for one year or less. There was a significant difference in the performance of orphans whose mothers had died and those whose mothers were alive, according to their average coursework marks (p<. 001) and average examination marks (p<. 005). The performance of single orphans, double orphans and non- orphans did not differ significantly, but the post hoc analysis revealed that in most subjects double orphans performed worse than single orphans and non-orphaned students. In the HIV/AIDS/Reproductive health and life-skills teaching-learning sessions observed, the majority of teachers, 12, (66.7%) (n =18) did not agree that relevant assignments were being given and 16 (88.9%) (n =18) did not agree that reading references were available. The majority of students (55.2% n = 509) had inadequate information on HIV and AIDS prevention, and those orphaned for one year or less (62% n = 29) and those orphaned for two to three years (62.5% n = 48) had even less information on HIV and AIDS prevention than the other groups. There was a difference in what the students perceived as life skills and what the teachers reported as life skills. It is recommended that this study be replicated on a larger scale and that factors that impact on learning be studied in national school settings in order to determine orphans’ and non-orphans’ learning outcomes. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Doctorat en sciences psychologiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

HIV/AIDS epidemic has caused much devastation and has left many children destitute and in need of care and supervision. The present study investigated the psychological impact of caring on non-professional caregivers of HIV/AIDS orphans and children affected by HIV/AIDS. General systems theory stands as the epistemological framework informing the study. The study made use of a qualitative phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of eight non-professional caregivers who participated in the study .From the themes that were abstracted it was evident that caring for HIV/AIDS orphans is emotionally, physically and mentally strenuous for the caregivers. It was better recommended that caregivers be given recognition for their challenging work and be included in the planning and development of programmes that affect their caregiving role. Furthermore emotional, psycho-social, and income-generating skills support programmes including training and educational programmes should be implemented. This will alleviate the distress inherent to the caregiving role and to equip them with the necessary skills for handling the demands of their work. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

By 2010, it is projected that there will be 25 million orphans worldwide. It is anticipated that 2.3 million children will be orphaned due to AIDS in South Africa by 2020. Traditionally, the extended family has absorbed most people affected by the disease but there is a growing concern that families are finding it increasingly difficult to cope, perhaps reaching saturation point. In the absence of alternatives, some children end up living alone in child-headed households (CHHs), the numbers of which are rising at an alarming rate. Despite the increase in this living arrangement research is scarce on the psychosocial consequences of AIDS related orphanhood. This is more evident concerning very young orphans living in CHHs. This qualitative study explores psychosocial issues pertaining to young orphans living in CHHs from an ecosystemic perspective. Four participants, who worked in various capacities for two non-governmental organisations, were interviewed in-depth about their experiences of working with young orphans. The conversations were subjected to an interpretive analysis where, in collaboration with the participants, central themes and sub-themes were identified. Eleven main themes emerged from the analysis: why children live in child-headed households; issues surrounding the death of a parent; experiences of a young child living in a child-headed household; the experience of living in a child-headed household; stigma; relationships with relatives; relationships with peers; relationships with crèches and teachers; relationships with the community; relationships with non-governmental organisations; and relationship to government and essential services. Based on an integration of the findings, a model was presented depicting the ecosytemic factors affecting the very young child living in a CHH. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Psychology / unrestricted

This study was a situation analysis of the socio-economic conditions of orphans and vulnerable children in Dessie Town. Specifically the study assessed the educational attainment, economic status, social isolation, adjustment, discrimination and psycho-social status of OVCs, the characteristics of the care-givers of OVCs and the support systems for OVCs. Therefore, 270 OVCs, 130 guardians and 4 OVCs service-providing organisations were selected as respondents. A survey research design was used. The study found that OVCs and their households faced problems such as school dropout, low educational performance; economic and food insecurity, lack of adequate clothing; social isolation and emotional hardships due to separation of siblings; discrimination, and neglect. Children’s housing conditions, toilet facilities, and access to clean water and health facilities were poor. The majority of guardians were unemployed and unable to fulfil the needs of the OVCs in their care. It is recommended that support systems for OVCs be strengthened. / Sociology / M.A. (Sociology)

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

xxi, 199 leaves: ill. / Introduction and purpose: This empirical study was carried out to determine the nutritional status and level of nutritional knowledge amongst orphaned children. A cycle menu will be developed after sensory evaluations of all protein enhanced dishes. Method: Anthropometric measures were used to determine the nutritional status and to measure the nutrition knowledge of 100 orphaned children aged 9 to 13 years old in Boipatong, Vaal region. A nutritional knowledge questionnaire was administered to the study group. Furthermore the anthropometric measurement was carried out and analysed with World Health Organization software (AnthoPius) using ±2 standard deviations cut off points, and data on nutritional knowledge were captured on Microsoft Excel and analysed for frequencies, mean and standard deviation (SD) using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 1'7. Results: The results for nutritional status revealed that 59% of the population studied were underweight, 40% were stunted and 25% were wasted. Most of the respondents (70%) scored less than 50% on the nutrition knowledge questionnaire. The mean correct answer for multiple choice questions was 29.65% and for true/false question was 50.34%. Conclusion: The orphaned children are under-nourished and wasted. Further to this, the nutrition knowledge of the orphans is poor. It is recommended that a nutrition education programme be implemented so as to address the issue of poor food choices and malnutrition. / National Research Foundation (NRF), VUT and Hubbs and Spokes Model

Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology, School of Human and Community Development University of the Witwatersrand, May 2017 / Psychosocial support and wellbeing of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in sub-Saharan Africa receive a lot of attention globally. However, great concerns still persist due to a multiplicity of factors that affect the children’s quality of life. This study examines experiences of psychosocial support and wellbeing of these children in Nairobi, Kenya. While there are few existing studies on the effects of HIV and AIDS on OVC in Kenya, most focus on OVC in primary schools and high schools leaving out infants and preschool aged OVC, as is the case in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, information that details psychosocial experiences and wellbeing of OVC in preschools in Kenya is lacking. This study focused on OVC aged between 5 and 7 years old within a resilience theoretical perspective; investigated their lived experiences, risk exposure, support structures and other adaptive experiences. A total of 57 participants (45 were children and 12 teachers) from ECDE centres in Nairobi County were purposively sampled for the study. Multiple methods utilised included: visual stimulus illustrations, face-to-face and conversational interviews, thematic drawings, focus group discussions questionnaires and infrastructural and supportive resource assessment. Thematic content analysis (TCA) which was informed by phenomenological hermeneutic approach was used to analyse data. Findings consistently showed that, OVC were not only susceptible to numerous risk experiences due to environmental and care factors at home, but also on their way to and from school, and within ECDE centres. Nonetheless, ECDE centres exposed them to cognitive skills, social networks, safety, alternative care, primary health services, nutrition and resilience nurturance. These findings indicate the crucial role of having a collective action in reduction of adverse experiences and improving resources to empower the OVC in urban ECDE centres. Directions for further research could focus on expanded population-based studies examining poverty, malnutrition, resilience and coping resources among preschool children living with, and affected by HIV and AIDS, using creative multiple qualitative approaches. A more critical understanding on variations in sexes is equally important in intervention strategies for this group of OVC. / MT2018