Indigenous Knowledge Youth Behaviour Modification Strategies for HIV/AIDS Management in a Mining Community in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This interpretive research study sought to explore and document Indigenous Knowledge behaviour modification strategies for HIV/AIDS management. HIV/AIDS epidemic has become a global crisis affecting all levels of society. The epidemic has been addressed by western biomedical model across sectors with limited success. While studies have shown that schools have the potential to help mitigate HIV/AIDS, biomedical HIV/AIDS education in Southern Africa is problematic. Biomedical Life skills HIV/AIDS school curricula being implemented focuses much on information about HIV/AIDS, which excludes the involvement of parents and communities for the expansion of life skills and youth behaviour modification. Studies have shown that sexual health behaviours for HIV/AIDS management cannot be understood separately from the socio-cultural context where they evolve. Schools need to modify behaviours of young people and to focus on healthy life skills by reaching out to parents and communities. It is against this background that the study was carried out among purposively selected cultural elders of the Shona, Chewa and Tonga dominant cultures in Mazowe Gold Mine Community in Zimbabwe. In carrying out the study, padare conversational meetings and sahwira home visits were held with selected cultural elders separately according to their cultural groups. Through thematic analysis, the findings revealed indigenous moral education strategies are critical for youth behaviour modification. The study findings recommend that youth behaviour modification for HIV/AIDS teaching and management could be promoted through harnessing indigenous knowledge moral education strategies in the classroom. This may lead to linkages between schools and education systems, the home and wider community of schools in contributing towards management of HIV/AIDS.