Media Statement by Dr Lavern Samuels Director: International Education and Partnership at DUT
Durban University of Technology Partners With the University of Michigan, USA, on HIV/AIDS Education.
The International Education and Partnerships Directorate at the Durban University of Technology invites you to a seminar on HIV/AIDS with Professor Nesha Haniff of the University of Michigan, USA.
The seminar will coincide with the awarding of certificates to students who have successfully completed the module: Oral Methodologies – Empowering Communities on HIV/AIDS.
This program uses Paulo Freire’s Methodologies and is titled ‘The Pedagogy of Action’. It uses the oral methodology to convey a very comprehensive and powerful HIV/Aids message. This message is one that is easily taught, easily remembered and sustainable.
Dr Lavern Samuels, Director of the Department of International Education and Partnerships said the strength in the partnership between Durban University of Technology and the University of Michigan lies in the fact that the visiting students and academics had conducted this program not only with the staff and students of DUT but also the communities around the DUT. It is therefore a program which impacts on the core functions of a University namely teaching, learning, research and external engagement. It further lends theory and praxis together so that it results in an impactful program on HIV/Aids Education.
Professor Haniff has a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, an MPH from the University of Hawaii and a BA from the University of Michigan.
Professor Haniff’s has developed several innovative educational modules on HIV/AIDS, violence, and women’s reproductive health. Her work has been located in the Caribbean, South Africa and the US. Dr Haniff’s publications include The Pedagogy of Transformation´in Affilia; 2007, Empowering Women to Protect Themselves from HIV”; (Inter-American Development Bank , 2006) and The Pedagogy of Action in Passages ns;, June 2005.
“In my work as a teacher I ask myself how can I conscientize young men and women about social injustice (race and gender) and translate that consciousness into their transformation as activists, and how can a teacher who is a gender and HIV activist in South Africa, the Caribbean and the United States use the nexus between the privileged students interested in these areas to engage in the process of empowering these communities to solve their problems. My overall project speaks to the imperative of integrating race, gender, and sexual orientation (both practice and theory) as knowledge development and practice using HIV as the vehicle of that mission. Students must understand that empowerment methodologies do not eschew the rigors of ideas but those ideas must include a praxis that engages them in human rights advocacy,” said Professor Haniff.
For comment or more information contact Professor Nesha Haniff on 0738594845.
Venue: Council Chamber, D Block, 8th Floor, ML Sultan Campus.
Date: Thursday 17 May 2012
Time: 9:30am
Issued by:
Sinegugu Ndlovu
Media Officer
Durban University of Technology
031 373 2845
078 615 2662