The role transport plays in enabling people access to services is very important. However, transport for school going children in rural areas has not been given much attention. Transport programmes aimed at improving access to schools by rural children cannot be successful in their formation and implementation without the full participation of parents. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to learn about the factors influencing caregivers' choices of the modes of transport for their school going children and to establish how caregivers view the importance of transport for their school going children, particularly in rural areas. One hundred and twenty six respondents were interviewed in this study. Two focus group interviews were conducted with teachers from eZinyonyana Primary and Mthende High Schools. It transpired that the majority of children walk to school. Most parents are aware of the problems associated with walking. However, the majority of them did not believe that walking could impact on their children's performance at school. This belief, though, differed with parents who perceive themselves too distant from school, hence believing that walking can affect their children's performance at school. Also, the majority of caregivers from communities furthest from schools believed that the availability of transport could improve their children's performance at school. They expected the government to provide transport for learners as most of them felt that even if transport can be made available, they could not still afford it since they are not employed. Although aware of the dangers associated with walking, some parents did not feel they could accompany their children school. This task was entirely left with the older children who are supposed to look after the younger ones on their way to and from school. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

Text in Afrikaans / Die Kerk van God bestaan uit mense wat tot geloof gekom het in Jesus Christus. Volwassenes maak nie alleen deel uit van die kerk nie, maar ook kinders. Die plaaslike gemeente se roeping is om in sy bedieningstrategie te fokus op die behoeftes van die kind (6 - 12 jaar). Die leefwereld van die kind binne die geografiese grense van Nelspoort, Murraysburg, Merweville en Beaufort-Wes word sterk beinvloed deur gebrekkige sosio-ekonomiese en politieke toestande. Die V.G.K., wat daarvoor verantwoordelik is om die kinders (6-12 jaar) in genoemde dorpe te bedien, slaag nie daarin om 'n effektiewe bediening te loods nie. Gebrek aan opgeleide personeel, basiese lesmateriaal en gebrekkige kennis van die ontwikkelingsfases van die kind in genoemde ouderdomsgroep vererger die situasie. Die studie bied riglyne vir die V.G.K. op die platteland om 'n meer effektiewe kinderbedieningstrategie (plattelandse kind) daar te stel, wat die unieke behoeftes en spesifieke omstandighede waarin kinders lewe, asook die ontwikkelingsfases waarin hulle verkeer, uit te lig. / The Church of God consists of people (Adults and Children) who believe in God. The local congregation focus on the needs of the child (6-12 years). The enviroment of the child who lives within the geographic boundaries of Nelspoort, Murraysburg, Merweville and Beaufort West is influenced by retarted sosio-economic and political circumstances. The U.R.C. which serve the child (6-12 years) in the afore mentioned towns, fails to initiate and implement an effective service. Lack of trained staff, basic learning material and insufficient knowledge of the development phases of the child within the mentioned age groups exacerbates the situation. The study offers guidelines for the U.R.C. (rural) to have a more effective child service strategy (rural children) in place which attends to the unique needs and specific circumstances under which the children live as well as the developmental phases they are in. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M. Diac. (Jeugwerk)

The role of natural resources in the lives of rural children impacted by HIV/AIDS remains unexplored. This study highlights wild food use by rural children vulnerable to the impacts of HIV/AIDS as an important and regular activity that supplements their domestic diets. This work found that with an increase in vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, children rely more on wild foods. Through an 18 month project in the Eastern Cape, using a broad quantitative and qualitative school and non-school survey, individual interviews, food diaries, participant observation, interactive photography, and other participatory techniques, a total of 850 children's coping strategies and livelihoods were examined. The quality of children’s domestic diets was, on average, 60% lower than the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) guidelines. However, 62% of the children interviewed were supplementing their diets with wild foods, 30% having over half their diet supplemented with wild foods. Dietary diversity showed a 13% increase when wild food supplementation occurred. While traditionally rural children rely on reciprocal networks during times of crisis, we found that these networks were eroding from the pressures of HIV/AIDS. Begging, for some children, was replaced by wild food collection and a significantly larger proportion of children more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS relied on wild foods more than did less vulnerable children. Considering the heightened nutritional and energy needs of children, combined with the impact of HIV/AIDS on household food access, wild foods represent the last freely attainable food sources available to them. Hunting and collection of wild food is a group activity, which was found to have valuable psychosocial benefits. Commercialisation of wild foods was observed among 38% of the children, with significantly more vulnerable children selling wild foods. The use of wild foods by rural children also had positive influences on the preservation of indigenous ecological knowledge.

Text in Afrikaans / Die Kerk van God bestaan uit mense wat tot geloof gekom het in Jesus Christus. Volwassenes maak nie alleen deel uit van die kerk nie, maar ook kinders. Die plaaslike gemeente se roeping is om in sy bedieningstrategie te fokus op die behoeftes van die kind (6 - 12 jaar). Die leefwereld van die kind binne die geografiese grense van Nelspoort, Murraysburg, Merweville en Beaufort-Wes word sterk beinvloed deur gebrekkige sosio-ekonomiese en politieke toestande. Die V.G.K., wat daarvoor verantwoordelik is om die kinders (6-12 jaar) in genoemde dorpe te bedien, slaag nie daarin om 'n effektiewe bediening te loods nie. Gebrek aan opgeleide personeel, basiese lesmateriaal en gebrekkige kennis van die ontwikkelingsfases van die kind in genoemde ouderdomsgroep vererger die situasie. Die studie bied riglyne vir die V.G.K. op die platteland om 'n meer effektiewe kinderbedieningstrategie (plattelandse kind) daar te stel, wat die unieke behoeftes en spesifieke omstandighede waarin kinders lewe, asook die ontwikkelingsfases waarin hulle verkeer, uit te lig. / The Church of God consists of people (Adults and Children) who believe in God. The local congregation focus on the needs of the child (6-12 years). The enviroment of the child who lives within the geographic boundaries of Nelspoort, Murraysburg, Merweville and Beaufort West is influenced by retarted sosio-economic and political circumstances. The U.R.C. which serve the child (6-12 years) in the afore mentioned towns, fails to initiate and implement an effective service. Lack of trained staff, basic learning material and insufficient knowledge of the development phases of the child within the mentioned age groups exacerbates the situation. The study offers guidelines for the U.R.C. (rural) to have a more effective child service strategy (rural children) in place which attends to the unique needs and specific circumstances under which the children live as well as the developmental phases they are in. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Diac. (Jeugwerk)