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Abstract
ABC - abstain, be faithful, condomise - Africa’s non-solutions. So what will work?
B.A. Kenyon
GRIP - INTERVENTION PROGRAM, Nelspruit, South Africa
Issues: HIV/AIDS prevalence is increasing among children. Current prevention programs, whose core theme is “ABC”, are making no difference. This presentation will explore the need for “DEFs” that are more effective and relevant in preventing sexual assault and HIV/AIDS transmission among children and youth.
Description: GRIP initiated a three-year program, targeting the boy-child of 13 to 18 years, within three schools in the Zwelisha district of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The objectives were:
1. To debunk the myth that sex with a virgin will cure HIV/AIDS,
2. To debunk the patriarchal "ownership of women and girl children",
3. To break the cycle of HIV/AIDS transmission, and
4. To establish good boy-youth role models.
Grip used four “goal oriented” programs. Each program used different methods including: sport, community projects, spiritual self exploration, physical challenges, graphic material and skills development, all centered around HIV/AIDS and power abuse.
Lessons learned: At the close of the intervention, a survey revealed that the majority of the boy-children still did not believe, or practice, the ABC prevention strategy for various reasons, including:
1. The youth are saturated with information about HIV/AIDS,
2. Contradictory information confuses them,
3. Peer pressure regarding sexual achievements from girls,
4. A sense of anger, boredom and hopelessness, and
5. Feeling that the ABC programs were not relevant to them.
Recommendations:
1.GRIP concludes that the ABC prevention approach is not working.
2.The ABC message is a negative, i.e., “Do not do this or that”. The answer for a “new generation” message needs to be "value added" with positive reinforcements, linked to concrete attainable gains, that are relevant to the experiences and reality of youth.
3. Funding could and should be better channeled into a more relevant and realistic prevention program.
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