An African women's theological analysis of a development programme : 'churches, channels of hope'

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch UniversityENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is offering an analysis of the Facilitator's Manual of the Christian AIDS Bureau for Southern Africa (CABSA). The analysis is situated in the context of HIV and AIDS as the manual is used to train facilitators during a weeklong training to become 'Channels of Hope' in their communities which are affected by HIV and AIDS. The HIV and AIDS discourse therefore needs to be explored. However, the manual was developed during the end of the 1990's in South Africa and therefore the context of HIV and AIDS specifically in South Africa needs to be analysed. Furthermore, the 1990's was the end of apartheid and the start of a new democracy in South Africa and therefore the impact of the legacy of apartheid is part of the analysis of the context. In order to analyse the content of the manual and do a study of the language used, a theoretical framework was developed by using African women theologians. The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians (referred to as the Circle) was used as a resource to find African women theologians. As a woman born in South Africa and therefore Africa, this seemed as the most appropriate resource. The process of seeking for a method of doing discourse analysis, eventually lead to the feminist practical theologian, Denise Ackermann who is also a member of the Circle and a South African. Her Feminist Theology of Praxis was used as methodological point of departure. The theoretical framework was then used to do a close reading of the manual and compare the themes of the framework with the content in the manual. The question was, whether these themes identified through the framework were present in the manual or not. Furthermore it was explored in which ways the themes were present once they were identified. The themes identified through the discourse analysis was used to suggest alternative methods used in the manual in order to enhance the manual. The goal of the ”Churches, Channels of Hope” programme is to empower people and help communities to grow and flourish. The hope is therefore that the suggestions would be used to enhance this programme and to make that goal possible. HIV and AIDS continue to be a challenge and CABSA and other Faith Based Organisations need all the support possible to address the challenges of this pandemic.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis bied 'n analise van die Fasiliteerders Handleiding van die Christen Vigsburo vir Suidelike Afrika (CABSA). Die analise val binne die konteks van MIV en VIGS aangesien die handleiding gebruik word om fasiliteerders op te lei tydens 'n weeklange opleiding om 'Kanale van Hoop' in hul gemeenskappe wat deur MIV beinvloed is, te word. Die MIV en VIGS diskoers moet dus ontgun word. Maar die handleiding was ontwikkel in Suid Afrika tydens die einde van die 1990' s en daarom moet die spesifieke Suid Afrikaanse konteks en MIV en VIGS ontleed word. Verder was die 1990' s die end van apartheid en die begin van 'n nuwe demokrasie in Suid Afrika. Dit is dus nodig om die impak van die nalatingskap van apartheid in te sluit by die analise van die konteks. 'n Teoretiese raamwerk wat deur vroue teoloeë uit Afrika ontwikkel was, is gebruik ten einde die inhoud van die handleiding te ontleed en die taal te bestudeer. 'Die Sirkel van Betrokke Afrika Vroue Teoloë' (hierna verwys as die Sirkel) was gebruik as 'n hulpbron om vroue teoloë uit Afrika te vind. As 'n vrou, gebore in Suid-Afrika en dus Afrika, het dit na die mees toepaslike bron gelyk, omdat die navorser 'n feministiese standpunt gekies het. Die proses van 'n soeke na 'n metode om diskoers analise te doen, het uiteindelik tot die praktiese teoloog, Denise Ackermann gelei wat ook 'n lid van die Sirkel en 'n Suid-Afrikaner is. Haar 'Feministiese Teologie van Praxis' is gebruik as metodologiese vertrekpunt. Die teoretiese raamwerk is dan gebruik om 'n noukeurige lees van die handleiding te doen en die temas van die raamwerk met die inhoud in die handleiding te vergelyk. Die vraag was, ”Is die temas wat deur die raamwerk geïdentifiseer was, teenwoordig in die handleiding? Indien teenwoordig, hoe was dit teenwoordig?” Die temas, geïdentifiseer deur die diskoers analise, is gebruik om alternatiewe metodes voor te stel om sodoende die handleiding te verbeter. Die doel van die “Kerke, Kanale van Hoop” program is om mense te bemagtig en gemeenskappe te help om te groei en te floreer. Die hoop is dus dat die voorstelle gebruik sal word om die program te verryk en sodoende hul doel moontlik te maak. MIV en VIGS bly 'n uitdaging en CABSA en ander geloofs gebaseerde organisasies benodig alle moontlike ondersteuning om die uitdagings van dié pandemie aan te spreek