confidentially speaking
The Africa Confidential Blog
1 DECEMBER 2013: WORLD AIDS DAY
Stars Foundation
1 December 2013
WORLD AIDS DAY: SOUTH AFRICAN EDUCATION CHARITY TACKLING HIV WINS UK AWARD
On World AIDS Day, the Stars Foundation is delighted to announce IkamvaYouth as 2013 Impact Award Winner for Education in Africa-Middle East. The remaining Impact Award Winners will be announced in the first week of December.
More
people are affected by HIV/AIDs in South Africa than any other country
in the world. UN figures reveal almost 6 million people are infected in
South Africa – with three quarters of all new HIV-infections occurring
amongst 15-25 year olds.
IkamvaYouth
has identified a shocking trend in which ‘most children enter the
education system HIV-negative; a growing number leave school
HIV-positive, and many more become HIV-positive shortly after leaving.
Dealing with this problem of HIV is a one of the priorities of
IkamvaYouth. HIV directly affects all aspects of individual’s life,
including their education.’
IkamvaYouth’s
HIV programme tackles HIV and AIDS in poor townships through awareness
sessions, testing and counselling – enabling young people to take
responsibility for their own health and protection. If HIV-positive,
they learn how to manage the disease; if HIV-negative, they learn how to
protect themselves from future HIV infection.
Confronting
the epidemic prevalence of HIV and AIDS amongst the country’s young
people, IkamvaYouth also addresses the challenges of urban poverty and
inequality perpetuated by South Africa's education crisis. Started by
two young researchers in 2003, IkamvaYouth has evolved into a
countrywide network, drawing on local university students, volunteers
and IkamvaYouth alumni acting as educators, mentors and role models.
Endorsed
by Stellenbosch University, the organisation provides tutoring in
academic subjects and life skills to empower disadvantaged youth to
escape poverty and create fulfilling futures. “We have been inspired to
dream big, to rise above our situations and inspire others,” said one
student.
This
is particularly significant given that 1.3 million learners start
school each year in South Africa but less than half reach matriculation
(high school graduation). And yet, regardless of HIV status, IkamvaYouth
matriculation results have far-exceeded national averages since 2005.
Last
year, volunteers provided the equivalent of more than three million
rand in HIV awareness programming, tutoring, career guidance mentoring,
computer literacy training and workshop facilitation to over 700 young
people. But while remarkable progress has been made, significant
challenges remain.
IkamvaYouth
now aims to enhance and expand services to more townships across South
Africa. Provisional plans include identifying more organisations to
replicate the Ikamva model, setting up programmes in rural areas and
targeting children of primary school age.
