Table 2 Feedback on Module Sections

General support of the curriculum

‘According to me, the way you’ve come up with that solution like going to schools and making teachers to teach on stigma in schools, I think it will help a lot.’- HIV negative adolescent

‘It really improves people’s knowledge about the disease because most of the things we hear about HIV are usually just the stigma and AIDS but not a lot people can actually tell you what is true with HIV and it’s a great learning opportunity for the people who haven’t heard the truth about HIV.’- HIV negative adolescent

‘Yes, according to what I have gone through, I think I support the themes. Personally it actually touched me and how we always interact with the students and I think the training will be worth it.’- Secondary school teacher

Teacher group discussions/ Role play

‘I think that’s [role play] the best way to digest what they’ve seen. And in the process of sharing they get to get so many scenarios that exist out there. It might not have happened in their setting, but you never know maybe in the near future if it happens then they can be in a better position to handle it.’- Secondary school teacher

‘You know one of the ways to diminish stigma is to talk about something and the fact that they will be doing it [teacher group discussions] among themselves … You are doing it among people who you don’t really know where they stand with the stigma, so it’s a way of you to get comfortable about talking about it and that in a way to me is a way of reducing stigma.’- Social worker

HIV Booklet: Myths and misconceptions

‘I really liked the one about the myths because we still do get some kids who talk about like mode of transmission being deep-kissing and that has to come from somewhere, it has to come from school.’- Mental health counselor

‘I have always had a negative attitude towards HIV but once I get this message, what is explained here can really change my thinking-- “ooh that HIV is not a killer disease after all”.’- Clinician

‘Yeah the booklets contain the information about all the facts and the myths about HIV. So when the people are equipped with the facts, I believe it will reduce the stigma.’- Education administrator

‘I liked the part on relationships. Because that is where it’s being talked about. It is really giving information to the adolescents where they are having a lot dilemmas.’- Social worker

HIV films

‘What I liked most about the videos is that they are very brief, and they are passing their message so clearly. There is no time that is wasted there. They are on point and precise.’- Social worker

‘The videos make it effective because they really show the real life of these children in school, at home and the other places where they interact in the field.’- Primary school teacher

‘These videos are actually a true reflection of what is happening in our society, what happens when we realize people have HIV/AIDS -- not everybody loves you, and some will love you. So I think it is actually from a natural environment, what takes place in our environment. So that training will serve us at its best because we live in that environment.’- Secondary school teacher

HIV animation

‘The animation, I liked it because the visual impression is very important because even in teaching, the visual impression helps [more] than things of just sound. So that when they hear the voice and see, the understanding goes deeper.’- Secondary school teacher

‘Animations are good because you don’t need to use people’s images. So it is good and it is non-discriminatory. There is no stigma with animation.’- Clinician

Cultural relevance

‘The setup is just within our own vicinity. So it shows that these things are not happening elsewhere they are just happening within our own society and our own community.’- Clinician

‘As much as they were acting, they sounded real. I mean these are things that happen. If you wouldn’t have said that they are acting, I would have gone home believing it is real life. That is, if you would not have said anything. They pass the message till you can actually feel them.’- Adolescent community advisor board

‘Yes. Actually that scenario was a very realistic one. I have even experienced that. I have seen where someone who knows about the status of a teenager goes round telling others and that causes stigma. So teachers can relate that by really understanding the learner, the background of the learner and trying to assist where appropriate.’- Secondary school teacher

Ability to Understand

‘The messaging, the language, the vocabulary itself, I think it’s self-explanatory.’- Clinician

‘Like I’ve mentioned before, simplicity. It’s down to earth, it can handle those in the lower strata of the society and those in the upper strata. Then, simple language is used.’- Secondary school teacher