Abstract: Submission #89

Abstract Traditional African marriage systems, rooted in indigenous governance systems, carried from generation to generation, reinforce satisfactory spousal healthy family outcomes. However, modernisation, neglecting core values of indigenous practices, upsurges divorce and vast falling apart of family structures. Marriage enrichment programs (MEPs) provide the necessary skills to eliminate future problems. Black Africans, hitherto, lack instruction on healthy functioning marriages, seeking help primarily once problems escalate. Empirically evaluated culturally relevant programs, blending indigenous with current systems, are scarce. Often unskilled and lacking in numbers, practitioners face challenges addressing the high one-on-one need. This mixed method three-phase research, grounded on current empirical international and South African data, builds on the strengths of the Royal Bafokeng Nation indigenous community and reports on preventative education interventions to sustain, support, strengthen and preserve marriages, promoting sustainable, resilient societal structures, individually, collectively and cross-culturally. Findings can adapt and expand interventions to advance and direct practice and policy application.