South Africa - Sexual Education and HIV/AIDS Prevention
The southern part of Africa is one of the regions worldwide most affected by HIV/AIDS. According to information provided by the World Health Organisation, nearly 20 percent of the population are considered as infected in the Republic of South Africa alone. 60 percent of all new infections affect young people between 15 and 24 years who have scarcely a chance of reaching the age of 35. Since a cure for this immunodeficiency disorder cannot be expected at short notice, prevention and sexual education are of utmost importance at this stage.
For this reason, the GPHF started in 2000 a novel education project addressing young people. This project, realized in cooperation with the German World Population Foundation (Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung), combines several elements:
traditional media such as theater and role play, modern print and electronic media, and direct contact with groups of youngsters.
The objective of this project is the sexual education of young people in the context of their immediate environment and their specific socio-economical living conditions.
Seven youth groups, 250 youth counsellors, a broad educational campaign and the direct contact with parents and teachers are to reach more than 11,000 young people in five municipalities in the Albany District (Eastern Cape), inform them on individual aspects of reproductive health and induce a sustained change of behavior.
This project not only aims to prevent future HIV infection but also to reduce the high number of unwanted teenage pregnancies. In the Republic of South Africa, one in three girls aged under 20 has given birth to at least one child, which results in a sustained deterioration of the girls’ educational and occupational prospects. The project is initially scheduled to last for 12 twelve months. Local coordination is assumed by the Talking Hands Educational
Puppetry Trust.
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