Mbizi: empowerment and HIV/AIDS prevention for adolescent girls in Botswana

Abstract

This article describes a small group intervention for HIV/AIDS prevention among adolescent girls in Botswana. The psychoeducational group model is designed to empower girls to overcome the gender inequality that puts women at increased risk of HIV infection in the country. Group goals include heightening group members' awareness of the influence of the restrictive social messages that surround them and assisting them in developing efficacy and skills to combat the barriers they face. Specific goals, strategies, and interventions for the initial, middle, and termination stages of the group are described. Indigenous and culturally relevant interventions are included in each stage.