Targeting educator resilience : an intervention program for Free State primary school educators affected by the HIV

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore how effectively educators in primary schools in the Thabo Mofutsanyana district (rural QwaQwa area, Free State province) affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic can be supported to cope more resiliently with the pandemic's challenges, using the Resilient Educators programme (REds). REds has been piloted with urban educators previously, but not with rural educators. In order for me to achieve this aim, I used mixed methods to gather data: qualitative and quantitative data were gathered in the pre- and post-tests (before and after the implementation of REds) to comment on participant empowerment. I interpreted the data to comment on whether and how the REds programme supported educators affected by HIV/AIDS. Previous Reds piloting was done with urban educators. My piloting would explore if and how REds would enable rural educators. To actualise the study, I recruited ten participants (two males and eight females), but only the eight females completed the study. My participants were Sesotho-speaking educators frorn one of the primary schools in the rural area in the Thabo Mofutsanyana district (QwaQwa area) and all were affected by the pandemic. My findings indicated that REds was a meaningful intervention, but that it needs to be improved as regards the following: • Facilitators should take note of the strengths that participants have relating to HIV/AIDS. • Future REds should encourage positive interpersonal relationships. • The entire staff and different stakeholders in the community should be involved in future REds participation. • REds should be an ongoing intervention strategy for supporting infected educators and those otherwise affected by the pandemic.