Online Reporter
Walter Nyamukondiwa in NORTON
THE Parent-Child Commmunication (PCC) and Behaviour Change Communication programmes being spearheaded by the National Aids Council and some partners have positively influenced behaviour change and fostered mutual understanding in communities.Parents and guardians hailed the programmes for helping improve their relations with children who had become rebellious and indulging in social vices such as risky sexual behaviour as well as drugs and substance abuse.
Through trainings and sessions with behaviour change motivators and mentors, several parents and children have seen their relationships improve.
Speaking at a tour organised by NAC, Mrs Daisy Mutsigwa of Kingsdale in Norton, whose granddaughter Rujeko Phiri had become rebellious through bunking classes, engaging in fights and being disrespectful to elders, said she had changed after the sessions.
“My granddaughter had become the talk of the town as she could not listen to anyone. She was violent towards everyone,” she said.
“She would come home late and we had almost given up on her, but everything changed when she started interacting with a local mentor. We started seeing some positive change and she started doing household chores like other children. We would get reports of her not reaching school but she would spend time playing games at the local shops.”
Miss Phiri said negative influence from peers and failure to cope with the loss of her father had made her rebellious.
“I had become uncontrollable and would spend time at the local shops playing video games and would engage in endless fights,” she said.
“My friends took drugs. I initially refused to participate in behaviour change session. However, that changed when they appealed to my artistic side.”
Kingsdale, Norton (Ward 2) behaviour change facilitator Mrs Irene Goremusandu said the training and dialogue sessions have helped reduce early marriages and misunderstandings between parents and their children.
“We have seen a reduction in social vices such as drug and substance abuse, school dropouts. One of our success stories is that of Rujeko Phiri, whom society had given up on because of her rebellious ways,” said Mrs Goremusandu.
“We started having sessions with her and to date, she has turned around her life. She has gone back to school and managed to pass her O’ Levels and has become an example to other children in her community.”
She said communication breakdown between parents and their children had contributed to the wayward behaviour of children, as most parents had no time with their children.
Their role, she said, was to bridge the gap between parents and their children through fostering effective communication.
The programme brings together parents and at least two children aged between 10 and 24 years from 15 families to form a group to start sessions on effective communication and iron out differences.
Tsungirirai Centre is implementing the programme with support from NAC. The centre’s programme officer, Mrs Moira Chifungo said the programme was helping to stem family disintegration, which was contributing to a rise in social ills.
Chegutu District Aids Action Coordinator Mrs Virginia Tausa said some children were engaging in social vices such as sexual immorality, drugs and substance abuse because of a lack of communication with their parents and guardians.
