Let's Talk HIV/AIDS

by Neha Bhat

The answer to AIDS is out there in a million pieces, all we've got to do is get people sharing information, and we can put the pieces together.¹ — Mark Johnson

For a disease that kills as silently as HIV/AIDS, we are not only surprisingly ill-equipped to deal with it but also doing injustice to those affected by terming it merely as a medical condition. HIV/AIDS impinges on a person's life not only medically, but socially also, leading to exclusion and segregation from one's community.

This exclusion and segregation is largely the result of the unquestioning acceptance of the myths prevalent about and permeating from individuals to community about HIV/AIDS.

As the growing number of deaths due to HIV/AIDS overwhelms fragile social safety nets, many believe that strengthening community-based efforts is the only hope for building effective, sustainable support systems to counter the disease.

One such community-based effort is RESPECT International's affiliate, Working to Empower (WTE), a non-profit group initiated in 2005 by Logan Cochrane.

WTE focuses on locally developed initiatives and works with organizations who have requested a partnership. Using their members, they expand the work already undertaken by the locals.

The two focal points of WTE's effort include:

• A culturally and socially focused approach to HIV/AIDS education, as opposed to mere medical focus.
• For the youth, by the youth and of the youth programs as the youth is in the age group most heavily affected by HIV/AIDS and such programs create long-term and locally-centered change. In addition, additional initiatives are implemented where it is felt that other age groups and aspects of society require change.

The efforts of WTE have been wonderfully captured in six videos, available on YouTube as well as the WTE website, documenting the work of youth groups within the community.

Here are links to the six videos:

• Youth Drama Education
• Youth Speak to Elders
• Group Work - Developing Community Based Ideas
• Can HIV education be exciting?
• Youth Speak to Youth - HIV Education
• Can HIV Education be Fun?

The videos beautifully capture the various mechanisms adopted by WTE resource members to disseminate knowledge as well as make the whole approach to combating the disease more community-based and participatory.

These videos are distinctive in documenting the ground level efforts and also point to the importance of using socially and culturally relevant means to address communities, thus helping in increased reception of the information provided.

Information is presented in a manner that can lead to positive change in the community members, a change perceptible in the videos. The use of drama, music, group exercises, and discussions in forwarding the information has been well captured.

Besides these means, WTE also uses short fictional stories on various aspects of HIV/AIDS to disseminate and educate communities.

These varied tools developed by WTE sensitize us to the need to talk about HIV/AIDS, share knowledge, in order for all of us to protect our individual selves as well as takes steps to ensure the protection of the community.

Ignorance is not bliss: with HIV/AIDS, it pays to talk. And talk together.

¹ AIDS.ORG. "About AIDS.ORG." http://www.aids.org/aboutUs.html (accessed 6 August 2007).