In January Ubuntu launched our redesigned lifeskills curriculum in 24 schools. The new curriculum is innovative in its development by our health team -- young people raised in our communities -- rather than by policy makers. These health workers designed the program with a deep understanding of local issues and culture enabling an effective connection with the children we teach.

“We have been very critical of our lifeskills education, evaluating our impact and carrying out an extensive needs analysis with our schools. What we discovered was that just providing information is not the answer – knowledge does not necessarily translate into action. The question we asked ourselves was how to ensure information was being internalized and then translated into practical skills,” explained Ubuntu President Jacob Lief.

Ubuntu’s new curriculum is specifically geared towards the issues facing the children of Port Elizabeth’s townships -- not just generic modules. The Nelson Mandela Metropole University’s HIV department trained our team in curriculum development theory. Our 24 Health Educators then developed 200 relevant lessons for grades 1 to 12. Ubuntu Director Anne Magege explains, “The goal with our younger children is competence in knowledge, attitudes and lifeskills related to HIV/AIDS, sexual abuse and rape prevention. With high school students we teach towards outcomes so they can demonstrate knowledge of sexual and reproductive health, exhibit positive attitudes regarding delaying sexual onset and childbearing, and show mastery of lifeskills involving negotiation, decision-making, and goal setting.”

Health Director Lungi Fatyela hopes that through this new Lifeskills Curriculum children will be able to make better decisions, including choices regarding education, careers, health, and finances. More importantly, this curriculum intends to “build self esteem in young people so that they can learn negotiation skills and behavior change in order to withstand the poverty related challenges they face on a daily basis.”

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