Ministry of Education
Regional AIDS Committee for Education
R
CE-Erongo Region
RACE (Regional AIDS Committee of Education) plays an important role in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Namibia and has the unique opportunity to reach and influence people at the very grass root level of the schools. We are able to equip students and teachers with knowledge and skills that enable them to make positive decisions so they can protect themselves.
Erongo is the costal region of Namibia. In Erongo, there are 51 government schools that the RACE office is working with. In the RACE office there is a Peace Corps volunteer as the Coordinator and a United Nations volunteer as the Admin assistant. Our committee is composed of 13 members, which meets 4 times a year.
The main responsibilities of our RACE office are monitoring the HIV/AIDS activities in the schools, provide training for teachers and regional staff in HIV related fields, and acting as a liaison between the national HIV/AIDS Management Unit and the schools.
In the schools, we monitor various activities. The first is the HIV/AIDS clubs, second is the Window of Hope programme and lastly will be the My Future is My Choice programme. Every government school in Namibia is required to have an HIV/AIDS club along with a Window of Hope programme. The HIV/AIDS are facilitated by a teacher and generally accommodate around 30 students. They plan activities together as well as with other clubs at nearby schools. Each club is different as there are no concrete guidelines what the clubs must do.
The Window of Hope programme is rather new in Namibia. It was only made mandatory in 2004. This programme was written specifically for Namibia and the situation in which it finds itself with regards to HIV/AIDS. It is designed as a four-year after-school programme that meets once a week. There is a Junior Window and a Senior Window. The Jr. Window is for grades 4 and 5 while the Snr. Window is for grades 6 and 7. The topics covered range from building the childrens' self esteem and confidence, being assertive, choosing good friends and eventually HIV/AIDS. The topics are very relevant for the children of this age and build upon each other to provide a comprehensive and holistic approach to educating the youth of Namibia.
The Jr. Window has already begun to be implemented in the primary schools with grades 4 and 5. The results are very positive. This programme uses a variety of activities to reinforce the message of each session. The children listen to stories, play games, sing songs, do acting and artwork that all ties into the main message for that particular session. Since it is designed for children of this age, it has proven a very effective method for educating the children about themselves and also HIV/AIDS.
The RACE office recently trained at least one teacher from every school, minus one, in our region on the Senior Window of Hope programme. In all, 46 people were trained from the 31 schools that have grades 6 and 7. We held two workshops, each lasting 4 days. The teachers were trained in the four manuals of the Snr. Window and given chances to prepare and participate in the same games, songs, stories and activities that they will be doing with their clubs. These teachers will organize their clubs and begin with the Snr. Window at the start of the 2006 school year. The RACE office will monitor and visit these clubs once they are formed.
The third project that the RACE office will help monitor and support is the My Future if My Choice (MFMC) programme. This programme is designed for 15-18 year old school children. Currently is it not handled by RACE, but at the beginning of 2006 it will be moved under the RACE supervision. MFMC programme uses out of school youth as peer trainers for the school children. They have 10 after-school sessions all related to the topics of HIV/AIDS and sexual health.
Every year in June, the RACE office also sponsors the HIV/AIDS Awareness Week. It is also part of the strategic plan addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in Namibia. The aim is to teach students, teachers and regional staff how to limit the spread of HIV. It is a weeklong celebration that brings awareness and education to the community. Erongo RACE also sponsors two communities in December to help them celebrate World AIDS Day. Rather than organizing it only in Swakopmund, we ask schools and community groups to plan and organize an event for their area. The RACE Committee selects two schools or communities to sponsor.
The RACE office is located in the Swakopmund Teacher Resource Centre at:
4 Ludwig Koch St.
Phone: 064-415-460
Fax: 064-415-451.
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