HIV/Aids, Education & Bursaries Associate
HIV/Aids, Education & Bursaries Associate Awarding Ceremony. Seated (center): Prof. T. Buthelezi & Mr. C. Hemson (CDA Academic Mantors), Mrs Mbatha & Mr. Mavundla (Teachers & school mentors), Ms Shabane (Chair:BoC), PSSP participants, CDA Executive & facilitators.
· HIV/AIDS currently has two projects; one which offers counseling skills to student-teachers and another which arranges peer support structures for school learners (PSSP
PSSP uses University experts in the field of HIV/AIDS as well as university students to train learners on issues involving HIV/AIDS. Four elected learners and one teacher per school attend University funded workshops, fortnightly. After completing the workshops students are expected to implement what they’ve learnt in their respective schools. University facilitators facilitate the implementation process.
· In terms of the counselling programme, students are trained on counselling skills, and, through assistance from Peer Educators, are encouraged to support and counsel their peers on a myriad of social issues.
· A total of five schools per annum are trained.
· Education & Bursaries is two-fold, dealing with education and literacy as well as support for financially needy schools and learners.
· Under Education, we have the Taking the University to the People Project (TUPP), which has seen a partnership between the CDA and Imbasa Foundation being launched. This is a tutoring support initiative for non-achieving schools, a Saturday Academy currently running at Nkobongo near Shakas Kraal.
· Under Bursaries we sponsor bursaries, uniforms and desks for needy schools. We mostly work with orphaned children. However, this Associate has faced a lot of challenges in terms of realising its goals. This has been due to insufficient funds to meet all the needy learners.
Associate Objectives
Peer Support Structure Project (PSSP) session held at UKZN Edgewood Campus, by CDA together with ICON.
n To offer groundbreaking and innovative projects that will uplift disadvantaged learners and schools.
n To provide additional support for schools in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in terms of finance and resources.