This research was undertaken to establish the extent o f knowledge o f out o f
school rural youth on HIV/AIDS; and their attitudes towards HIV/AIDS and
condom use. A total o f 37 out o f school youths, made up o f 22 males and 15
females were surveyed between December 1998 and January 1999 in Kang
village in Botswana. It was observed that, on average, youth were
knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS issues; that the ones with adequate knowledge
were those who attained junior and senior secondary education; and that in
general, the youth have positive attitudes towards HIV/AIDS, people with
HIV/AIDS, and condom use. The radio was identified as the most effective, and
the poster as the least effective measure fo r the dissemination o f information on
HIV/AIDS in rural areas. The findings indicate that those with inadequate
knowledge require reinforcement from programmes, especially in the area o f
prevention against HIV/AIDS; and that social workers, nurses, doctors and the
kgotla could play larger roles in the dissemination o f information on HIV/AIDS
to youths in rural areas.