Approaches used in caring and supporting HIV/AIDS orphaned students in Tanzania: a case of Kibaha Town

This study explored approaches secondary schools employ in caring and supporting the HIV/AIDS orphaned students in Tanzania, using Kibaha Town Council as a case study. Specifically, it identified HIV/AIDS orphaned students present, determined the strategies secondary schools employ in caring and supporting the HIV/AIDS orphaned students and the challenges faced in their mission to provide care and support services. The study employed a qualitative approach, informed by a case study design. The study deployed a purposive sampling technique to obtain 54 informants, made up of District Secondary Education Officer (DSEO), District social Welfare officer (DSW), Ward Educational Coordinators (WECs), heads of school, teachers, and HIV/AIDS orphaned students. In-depth face-interview, focus group discussions, non-participant observations and documentary search were deployed to collect the data. The data were analysed qualitatively using content analysis. The findings revealed that there were a considerable number of HIV/AIDS orphaned students present in the secondary schools under study. The secondary schools deployed varied strategies in caring and supporting the HIV/AIDS orphaned students, including: provision of meals and scholastic materials, soliciting sponsorship from donors, establishment of guidance and counseling services, school fees exemption and allocating academic advisors for each HIV/AIDS orphaned student. However, these secondary schools encountered challenges as resources constraints, poor guardians’ support, donor’s support with conditional ties and lack of awareness among the community members of what constitute HIV/AIDS and HIV/AIDS orphaned students. The study concludes that the total number of HIV/AIDS orphaned students was larger than the documented one. The majority of students and their relatives did not have a tendency of reporting about HIV/AIDS orphaned students’ the state of affairs for the fear of discrimination and despise. Moreover, the care and support services provided to these students through different approaches are primary in terms of tangible materials while non-tangible materials such as psychological needs are often ignored. The study recommends that there is need for a policy to compel the community from the street level to regional and national level to provide accurate information on the numbers of AIDS orphans, where they are, the circumstances of their lives and how to help them. This could lead to the development of an accessible online data base. When handling problems related to orphans, social psychologists and other specialized have to go beyond meeting their physical needs. They need to also address psychological needs of the orphans. This can be attained through conducting seminars, workshops and provision of specialized training.