Zomnotho Community Development NPO implemented a programme called Families Matter (FMP) in Ward 20 of Ray Nkonyeni Municipality .
The purpose of FMP is to give parents the knowledge, skills, comfort, and confidence to discuss sex-related issues with their children. The program is for parents of children ages 9-12 years and is designed to give parents and other caregivers specific knowledge and skills about ways that they can reduce their children’s risk of becoming infected with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections or getting pregnant. FMP is unique in that it does not dictate what parents should say to their children but instead guides them in defining the values and messages they want to convey.
The sessions focus on increasing parental awareness about the issues children face, improving parents’ ability to communicate with their children about sex, and encouraging parenting practices that increase the likelihood that children will not engage in sexual risk behaviors. Parents are also asked to bring their child to a designated session in order to practice the communication skills learned during the intervention. The goal is that, upon completion of the program, parents will feel more competent and comfortable in addressing issues related to sex and sexuality with their children.
