Avondale College ResearchOnline@Avondale Theses PhD Theses 11-2015 An Exploration of the Understandings of Adolescents, Living in Botswana, Pertaining to the Risk of their Peers Contracting HIV and AIDS, and Strategies for Reducing its Spread Harvey Stanley Henderson Avondale College of Higher Education, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://research.avondale.edu.au/theses_phd Part of the Education Commons, and the Medicine and Health Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Henderson, H. (2015). An exploration of the understandings of adolescents, living in Botswana, pertaining to the risk of their peers contracting HIV and AIDS, and strategies for reducing its spread (Doctoral dissertation, Avondale College of Higher Education, Cooranbong, Australia). Retrieved from https://research.avondale.edu.au/theses_phd/4 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses at ResearchOnline@Avondale. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses PhD by an authorized administrator of ResearchOnline@Avondale. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ` An exploration of the understandings of adolescents, living in Botswana, pertaining to the risk of their peers contracting HIV and AIDS, and strategies for reducing its spread. Presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Doctor of Philosophy to the Faculty of Education, Business & Science 2015 Harvey Stanley Madalo Henderson BBA; Grad Cert Public Health; MA Student Number 085396 Avondale College Principal Supervisor Dr Peter Morey Associate Supervisor Dr Cedric Greive i The Dissertation of Harvey Stanley Madalo Henderson is approved ………………………………………………………. .……………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………… Avondale College 2015 ii © Copyright 2015 By Harvey Stanley Madalo Henderson iii Dedicated to the memory of my late father Stanley “John Bull” Justine Henderson (1938-1998) and My late mother Dinah “Mayi Phiri” Henderson (1940-2006) iv Student Declaration I, Harvey Stanley Madalo Henderson, do hereby declare that: I. This thesis is my own work. II. All persons consulted, and all assistance rendered are fully acknowledged III. All references used are indicated in the text and accurately reported in the list of references. IV. The substance of this thesis has not been presented, in whole, or in part by me to any University for a degree and This declaration was made at Avondale College on 2 June, 2015 Signed by Harvey Henderson v Researchers’ biographical sketch and interest In this section, the researcher uses the first person language to give a more personal perspective of his life journey and interest. To maintain the professional academic format, the rest of the thesis is written in third person. I was born in Malawi, Africa in 1966, fifteen years before HIV and AIDS was known. I am married to Luckie Henderson who is a Motswana national and we have two children, Thandizo aged 17 and Yamika aged 8. I completed a Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Solusi campus of Andrews University in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe in 1994, a Masters of Arts degree in Youth Ministry at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, in 2004 and a Graduate Certificate in Public Health with Curtin University, Perth, Australia in 2013. I am a Seventh-day Adventist Christian whose interest and passion are to assist young people to develop to their highest potential and to protect themselves from HIV and AIDS infection thus avoiding its devastating effects. Almost every family in sub-Sahara Africa, has members who are either infected or affected by this disease. In my family, for example, some of my relatives and close friends have died of AIDS and some of them are currently living with the HIV. For these reasons, I have developed a strong interest in learning about this disease, its cause and how people can avoid it. During my postgraduate studies in the United States of America, I developed an interest in undertaking research on the prevention of HIV and AIDS and constructed a program to equip young people in my church, the Gaborone community in Botswana and Southern Africa region in general, to make decisions that will protect them from infection. In Botswana, my program operated under the Samaritan Youth Trust, which is a non-profit organisation that I developed and which partners with the Botswana government, the Seventh-day Adventist Church and other non-governmental organisations. Recently, I also have partnered with some friends and registered an association in Australia under a trade name Victory for Africa, which is dedicated to mobilize resources for health promotion programs in Australia and Southern Africa. It is my goal to create a cohort of adolescents who will be HIV and AIDS free and who will vi themselves contribute to the creation of an HIV and AIDS-free generation. This study is a step towards achieving this goal. vii Acknowledgement Mutu umodzi susenza denga… This Chichewa (a language spoken in Malawi) idiom literally says “One head does not carry the roof,” meaning, “One person alone does not accomplish a worthwhile task without the help or positive influence of others.” in other words – “No man is an island”. This is very true concerning several individuals, friends and organizations that assisted me to complete this study. I would like to express my thanks to the following, without whose help and assistance I would in no wise accomplished this mammoth task. My gratitude is due to Our Lord Jesus Christ whose loving kindness, grace and power sustained me through and through on this study journey. My wife, Luckie who sacrificed her prospects of career development in Botswana to join me in Australia, for her patience with me when my study journey was taking a toll on her personal comforts, emotional wellbeing and sometimes her physical health. Luckie, you have been beside me all the way, thank you and I love you. My children, Thandizo and Yamika who left friends, and family in Botswana and came to Australia, to be with daddy, played with me, prayed for me, laughed at me and with me and gave me an opportunity to know that jiggling work life, school life and parenting simultaneously was not child’s play. The Botswana Government, through the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, for granting me permission of conduct this study in Botswana. All the students in Gaborone, Botswana who gave me all their valuable time from their busy schedules to participate in the study. I thank each one of them for their views, their energy, their knowledge and their inspiration which provide the main focus of this study, and I thank parents who signed consent forms allowing me to interview their children. Secondary school headmasters, teachers and staff who granted me permission to conduct research at their schools. Dr. Peter Morey my principal supervisor and Dr. Cedric Greive, my associate supervisor, who opened their hearts and gave me their support, time, learned advice and guidance, and who provided encouragement for me to complete this study. viii Dr. Vivienne Watts, Dr. John Watts and Dr. Terry Butler, who gave me valuable advice during the first stages of my study. Dr. Ashton for assisting me with the plot design of the quantitative survey instrument, enabling me to scan and transport all quantitative data into the SPSS. Dr. C. Pilane, my mother in law, and Dr. P. Mazonde from Botswana who committed time to read part of my work and provide valuable peer advice. Air Botswana for sponsoring free transportation of my research data from Botswana to Australia for analysis. Prof. Ray Roennfeldt, Dr. and Mrs. Barry Gane, Prof. Fernandez, Prof. Tony Williams and Avondale College for financial support and offering me a tuition waiver scholarship to undertake the Doctor of Philosophy program in the great and beautiful country of Australia. Pastor Butov, Pastor Danny Milenkov, Pastor Uriah St Juste, Avondale Memorial Church members, West Wallsend SDA Church members, Morisset SDA Multicultural Church member, who provided spiritual and hospitable homes, away from home. Grant and Del Butler, our Australian parents who loved and cared for my family like their own children. Ms. Dintle Chikondi Maseko, Ms. Nokuthula Dodo Molemi, Mr. Chinguwo, Mr. Moengwa for doing a great job as survey assistants during data collection. Our Friend and travel agent Anita, who arranged most of our air ticket bookings back and forth between Botswana and Australia during the study. Roberta Matai for her untiring phone calls and editorial support during this research. Pastor Bruce and Lei Johnston for providing me a home away from home in their house. The late Pastor Masoka, Mr. G.S. Moyo, Dr. S. Mfune, Mr. Afred Chimangeni, Pastor A. Mpofu and Pastor Mdluli, who laid a great spiritual foundation in my life. Friends Olivettes, Mutseriwas, Chileshes, John and Dorothy Shumba, Yalalas, Matsoga’s, Lesley and Gugu Ncube, Sibandas, Chiyembekeza’s, Terence & Daniella, Mako Jabu and many, many unnamed friends whose smiles, words of encouragement, prayers and support have made this academic journey doable. ix Family members and parents Sister Grace Majawa, Sister Sarah Chamangwana, Sister Mercy & Wycliff Chimwendo, Mercy & Steve Kamanga, Chimwemwe and Kondwani Kabowa, Tamanda Majawa, Justin & William Chamangwana, Mayi Kachepa in Chembera, the Mlangas, the Phombeyas, Stan and Ketlametso Maseko, Tumelo Pilane, Tiroyaone & Nthebe Kgotlwana, Mako Nthebe, Papa in Mochudi, Prof. Matale, the late and Mrs. Mooka, Ken and Susan Williams and all family members for their prayers and support. Finally and certainly not least my parents, to whom this dissertation is dedicated: My late father Stanley “John Bull” Justin Henderson, who laid a great foundation for my life and my late mother Mrs. Dinah “Mayi Phiri” Henderson, whose tender motherly love, care, and Christian principles made a lasting positive impact on my life and made me whom I am today. May their souls rest in peace, until soon when we shall meet never to part again at the sound of a trumpet.