YAP - 2008 REPORT

a. INTRODUCTION

The Young and Positive programme is an initiative that was developed by Create Africa South where the aim is to explore avenues for optimal points of intersection with schools and learners. This report will give insight into the number of issues that were found surrounding HIV information projects in the schools.
Using a new approach where young people are the messengers, using creativity through the arts – e.g. dance, poetry, fashion seemed to be a more workable way of introducing this message that has been preached to our young people. The challenge remains whether this bombardment of sometimes messages such as: ‘abstain, be faithful, condomise’ (from the ABC campaign) or ‘make your move’ (from the LoveLife campaign) are in essence effective at all.
The questions remain as to whether the messages are appropriate, clear and allow the young learners to then make the right decisions. Or are they at times perhaps outdated, too unclear/confusing, or perhaps not targeted at the younger, and very complex audience.
Young and Positive looks at elliciting information from the young learners(grade 8 and 9s) where we encourage them to talk, ask questions thereby creating dialogue - and this essentially means that they tell us what they know, what they would like to be informed about and how these answers can be carried out to their peers.
This is in a way of a media campaign, and this report will show how the implementation has occurred and what the underlying messages are. Exploring schools in different backgrounds, i.e. private and government schools – has been key into perhaps identifying what the unifying and sometimes segregational issues are so that the appeal is for all young people, rather than the select few who have resources, or are more educated…? After all, HIV/AIDS has no class, race or age preference.


b. YAP PROGRAMME – August 2008

1. Recruiting and Training of our facilitators
In ensuring that the facilitators were appropriate, young students from the university of KwaZulu Natal, and other institutions around KwaZulu Natal seemed right. These would be a team of 8 dedicated young people who recognise the need for Young and Positive.
The training was done in such a manner that the facilitators would themselves be informed about pertinent issues around HIV/AIDS. But introduced in the training were PhD students whose primary focus is in one way or another based about HIV/AIDS.
Tia Nicole, a PhD student based in the USA and on a research visit here in KwaZulu Natal comments: “While the focus of my dissertation is on …. I am interested in your program because it too focuses on youth, is situated here in KZN and seems to present an alternative model to LoveLife. I would like primarily to observe the upcoming training particularly since I'm coming to the table late, but also because I am attempting to learn as much as I can about the kinds of programs and interventions developing here in South Africa…
The work of Create Africa South is impressive and I am excited to learn more!"
In Irene Pule’s (PhD student from Botswana) input, it remains clear that most of the HIV/AIDS campaigns are focusing more at the young adults who are out of school and possibly in tertiary institutions.
The Young and Positive programme recognises that at the time when a learner leaves school and goes to university/college(and sometimes not), they have already developed approaches and responses to life situations, and in how they view their own sexuality and eventually their responsibility to HIV/AIDS.

In training(from left to right): Menzi Cele, Caroline Walker, Mawande Mpetsha, Shanelle Mathou, Aaron Coleman, Xoli Vilakazi
Because we are looking at schools from all backgrounds, the facilitators have to be able to communicate with the young learners in a less intimidation way, so that although the learners already view them as their ‘big’ brothers and sisters, friends, and role models, the message does get through.


2. YAP at schools:
August to November 2008
Our facilitators ranged from ballroom dancer(Mawande Mpetsha), fashionista and model(Menzi Cele), violin player(Dylan Arslanian), poet ( Ayanda Chamane), Inge Harbour(HIV activist and politics student), poet and Sociology student from Kalamazoo College, US (Aaron Coleman), politics student and social activist(Caroline Walker) and another poet and IT student(Xoli Vilakazi).
• Recruiting schools was difficult because of the time of the year; with trial exams (in September) and year-end exams(starting in mid-November). Some of the educators were not willing to run the programme, rather opting for the new year.
• In total: 6 schools were visited, in addition to the girls at the Umthombo Street Children


2.1 Mqhawe High School in Inanda
Miss Wandile Sibisi at Mqhawe High School mentioned the difficulties that the educators face on a daily basis with the learners, and hence Young and Positive was needed and looked at in terms of not only HIV/AIDS, but to perhaps engage the learners in something different and perhaps to even lift the learners’s up from their burdened and inhibiting social backgrounds that they come from. We learnt that there are numerous cases of sexual abuse at their homes, some of the children have lost parents to HIV/AIDS, and poverty is rife. With lack of sports facilities, or other means of edutainment, Young and Positive would play a positive role.

There were 150 learners per session –and Young and Positive will be commencing again in the new year, 2009. The challenge here is that the learners all seemed responsive and very excited to have us come back.
• YAP MEMBERSHIP established



2.2 Umlazi Secondary School in Umlazi
Mr Ayanda Mhlongo, the educator responsible for this programme at the school, is a Fine Arts student from the Durban University of Technology and with his passion, we are most excited at the outcome at this school. Umlazi is said to be one of the biggest townships in South Africa, and the learners also face, amidst HIV/AIDS issues – poverty, child-headed households, and various other unpleasant and uncertainities that most township children face.
The 2 sessions held with 150 learners per session, were enjoyable where Mawande Mpetsha seemed to hold the learners’ attention with his ballroom dance skills as he taught the learners how to cha-cha. His session addresses Voluntary Counselling and Testing, and with his dancing he asks the learners: “How can you dance if you have not learnt the moves?” and intepretes that into VCT: “How can you be safe if you have not tested?” Young and Positive will be commencing again in the new year 2009.

• YAP MEMBERSHIP to be established


2.3 Hunt Road Secondary School in Berea
The learners at this particular school, were the most challenging of the schools that Young and Positive programme facilitators have encountered. The learners seemed unruly – and Mrs Kemp, the principal had already warned us of the behaviour of her learners. While we were at this school, some of the learners were fighting in front of the educator, others were trying to jump over the school gate in order to leave the schools premises. This shows some of the the underlying ills of society – like violence.
With 4 of our facilitators running concurrent sessions with 100 learners each(2 sessions); this proved the most difficult sessions. But what stood out was lack of information on HIV/AIDS, and lack of interest in getting the information. However, when Xoli Vilakazi, the poet perfomed one of her poems in IsiZulu – she seemed to have captured the learners’ interest(for a while).
We are excited to commence in the new year with a group of learners that are interested in the programme, and we are keen to uncover what seems to be an enviroment that clearly is not conducive to progress and learning.

• YAP MEMBERSHIP to be established


2.4 Nqabakazulu High School in KwaMashu
Miss Zama, the educator in charge agreed that Young and Positive programme was an important campaign to be introduced into their school. And running a session with about 280 learners, our 5 facilitators were welcomed with much applause and excitement from the dancing, to Caroline Walker speaking IsiZulu and Menzi Cele doing the catwalk – all this in dialoguing the more serious issues on HIV/AIDS.
The learners asked questions, told us some of the myths and false statements that go around in their communities. There was one question that stood out; where a shy young girl asked what seemed to be quite a personal question: “If you are still very healthy, but have HIV, are you able to go to the clinic to get anti-retrovirals?” These are some of the pertinent issues that 14-year-olds are asking – and this questions government policies on the CD4 count and access to ARV’s, and most importantly, “How do we destigmatise this disease?” At the end of our visit, the learners remained in high spirits, and we will commence with the campaign in the new year.

• YAP MEMBERSHIP to be established


2.5 St Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls in Kloof
This is perhaps one of the more affluent schools in KwaZulu Natal, and although the programme had been introduced to the school before – we were looking at the grade 8 and 9s. There were 200 learners in the session – and it was a very interesting session for the facilitators.
The learners were informed, up to a certain point – but it still seemed that the fact that they are informed, there is a level of ‘untouchability’ as they seem to think HIV/AIDS is perhaps NOT their problem as it probably has a face of poverty-stricken and uneducated people. However, what the learners interestingly said was that there is promiscuity that happens amongst the girls – and whether they are being responsible or not is questionable.
One of the more interesting questions asked was: “If I know my friend is promiscuous, and I encuorage her to get tested - can I go with her?” This of course, means that there is a misconception that once you get tested, there is a stigma attached to it already. This also sparked an idea of a poster/mini-magazine where ‘Jane’ supports her friend ‘Mary’ when she goes to get tested.We are still a long way to destigmatising this disease.

We are excited to be included in the main schools’ programme in the new year 2009.
• YAP MEMBERSHIP to be established


2.6 Epworth College in Pietermaritzburg
“Young and Positive programme was a breath of fresh air”, commented Mrs Marion Kroukam at Epworth. Unlike the annual lectures where a nurse stands in front of the learners and bombards them with information, this was clearly fun, entertaining whilst being informative. With poetry and dance, the learners were able to engage themselves fully in the programme.
With the 6 sessions at this school, the facilitators commented on the enthusiasm in the participation of the learners. This was proven with the poems, posters, cartoons that the learners came up with after the programme.
In the Voluntary Counselling and Testing session, one of the learners came up with a clever phrase, which contextualised it in terms of our situation in the country where load-shedding was introduced to deal with the electricity shortage in the country: “ Not knowing your status is like load-shedding. Get tested, don’t be left in the dark!”.

• YAP MEMBERSHIP to be established


2.7 Umthombo Street Children - Girls
This sessions with the girls at the Umthombo Street Children South Africa was perhaps the most difficult yet. These girls (aged between 12 and 22)are the most vulnerable,exposed to hard living in the streets –these girls having run away from their homes for various reasons, from abuse to poverty, to rebellion – whatever these reasons are, they were sleeping in the streets. Initially, there was a sense of apprehension from the girls but once they got engaged with the programme, there were special friendships that were formed.
In one of the sessions which deals with: “Palliative and Home-based Care”, the facilitators had to tread carefully. Caroline Walker asked: “How do I begin to speak of a home to a street child?” Therefore, she and her co-facilitator decided to pose the questions to the girls on what they think of Home-based care. This of course, led to some sensitivity issues being touched on, but they then provided the facts.

YAP MEMBERSHIP established.


The Young and Positive Campaign is perhaps one of the most important initiative yet, if we are to truly address the issues around HIV/AIDS in a progressive and long-term manner. It is at this young age of 14 or 15, if not younger, that we begin to develop our own ideas on sex, sexuality and HIV/AIDS. And if we can address this in the most holistic way possible, whereby we ensure that they young people realise that it is their responsibility, their right to come up with the solutions - then we are in the right path in fighting this serious epidemic in light of the reality.
Statistics say 71% of South African youths could name at least one HIV/AIDS campaign that runs on TV or radio where 48% mentioned Soul City, and 25% mentioned loveLife.
But the question remains: what is the problem with the current campaigns when South Africa still has the highest number of people living with HIV in the world. According to UNAID, an estimated 5.3 million people were living with HIV end-2003 in South Africa — 2.9 million of them women. Unfortunately, there is no sign yet of a decline in the epidemic.


c. YAP - The Findings
The design of the programme made it in such a manner that after every session, we are able to have some deliverables pertaining to the topic presented.
1. Your Body, Your Sexuality and Your Responsibility
This session asked the question: 1. How comfortable are you with your body? & 2. What do/don’t you like about your body?
The above questions were most relevant particularly in girls’ school as we believe that it is possibly the young girls who have little confidence in their appearance, who might be more vulnerable.
South African research has found that low self-esteem is associated with earlier onset of sexual activity and having more sexual partners. (A.K. Perkel, A. Strebel and G. Joubert , The psychology of AIDS transmission: Issues for intervention. South African Journal of Psychology 21 (1991), pp. 148–152).1.
This exercise served to assist the girls to take ownership of their bodies, with the imperfections that they might present. As your body becomes your responsibilty, your sexuality follows and inevitably, so does your response and responsibility toward HIV and AIDS.

1. Source http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VBF-4502W2D-1&_user=2822922&_coverDate=01%2F31%2F2003&_rdoc=1&_fmt=full&_orig=search&_cdi=5925&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000058881&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=2822922&md5=c977feb808efd6b9a33190fda058a2cd#bib60


This poem was written by a learner from Epworth College:
“ I’m big but I got a lot to hug,
I got short hair, which makes me look like a boy.
I’m getting bigger by the day.
I love my lips.
I got long fingers, to hold on to my friends
And I adore them.
I got a huge bum, if only it would get smaller,
And I got humungous thighs
But I love myself to bit.
I love me for me and who I’ll always be.”
We also presented the learners with a scenario: “Imagine a man offers you money, cars, shoes, and more money – if he could sleep with you without using a condom – would you do it?”
The learners, both from township and private schools did not give a clear NO answer as they really took in the exercise. They were reminded that these kinds of scenarios are a reality, and their responses to them will determine whether they can make the right decisions or not. With this kind of a scenario that might present itself, perhaps not so blatantly( it could be a long-term boyfriend not wanting to use a condom or wanting to sleep with you when youa re not ready), we urged the learners to remind themselves: “What are the 3 most important things in my life?”
90% of the learners answered that the most important thing to them is 1) their family and friends followed by 2), their education/future/success. None of the girls mentioned money, cars or shoes – a few did mention their cellphones, and another her electric guitar.
The idea was to give the learners a sense of ambition – and a deeper sense of responsibilty to the things that are most important to them.

“Let’s put HIV in its place… NOWHERE!”
(slogan by learner)



2. Voluntary Counselling and Testing
Most of the learners did not have much information on Voluntary Counselling and Testing. Once they got the information from our facilitator, they understood the importance of testing as it means you can know your status, and act responsibly with that knowledge.
Many of the learners had ideas on how to promote VCT: a new logo and catchy phrase on VCT was mentioned, humour in the adverts, as well as promotional material that will make it more interesting for the youth. Another interesting idea that seemed popular was free gifts/goodies whenever one tests.
One of the learners commented that: “I think we should have youth ambassadors in the advertising of HIV/AIDS so as to get a ‘youthful’ feel and not a ’preaching’ from adults.”
Below graph represents the learners’ ideas on how to promote Voluntary Counselling and Testing.



“Girls, be wise – make those guys condomise!”
“You could be positive… Check your status”
(slogans by learners)




3. Your understanding of HIV/AIDS
In this exercise, the learners were encouraged to come up with their own definitions of HIV and AIDS, using the abbreviations. This assisted us as we could also monitor if they understood the information received.
Although some of the kids came up with interesting and mostly, depressive links and associations – some of them were quite innovative. Language and perception play a critical role if we are to address the issues on HIV/AIDS effectively, and if we are to truly allow expressivity amongst the learners.
See below examples with AIDS:
a) A – ayande; I – impilo; D – dadewethu; S – sengiyaphila. This is loosely translated from Zulu as: “Let life flourish my brother, I am living.”
b) A – ayande; I – impilo; D – dokotela; S – sengiyahamba. This is loosely translated from Zulu as: “Let life flourish doctor, I am leaving this world.”
c) A – always; I – improve; D – dress; S – style.
The vision with this information, is to create it into some media campaign whereby it could be printed on t-shirts…? Postcards with some of these messages could also be circulated amongst the youth – with their own messages.

Lead by example leaflet
“STOP AIDS!!! Before it stops you…”
(slogan by learner)



4. Questionnaires
The questionnaires designed serve as guidelines, in order that we can retrieve information from the learners.
There is a descretion clause in the questionnaires which would ensure that the learners knew that their responses were confidential. However, it is difficult to know how truthful the learners are and if they are perhaps not under pressure to say no.
Therefore, although the information retrieved showed that 91% of the learners did not have sex, it is also wise to assume that this cannot be entirely accurate as results in a study1 conducted by Serena Frank at the Social Work department in Durban titled: “Risky sexual behaviours of high-school pupils in an era of HIV and AIDS”, showed that the 24.8% of males, averaging age 15.4 initiated sex before age 12.
In order to collate some of this data, and make it more understandable – selection of the most critical questions are presented in below charts.


1. Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18637313?ordinalpos=12&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

If we are to assume that most of these learners are not having sex yet, it is clear that interventions such as YAP are important at this stage as we will address HIV/AIDS issues, and perhaps somewhat change the behaviour of these learners before they get sexually active.
From Umthombo Street Children, where some of the girls(who are much older) are pregnant and/or have children and living in the street – a comment that seemed to come from the heart regarding some of the messages that they would like to change in the media: “I would like to tell the young people to abstain and keep AIDS away.”
And from the young learners: “ The messages should be clear… they should support both HIV -positive and negative… focus on the youth… some of these messages encourage the youth to have sex..”
And YAP is seen as a more open forum where the learners can ask question, get more information in an open and free manner. This is because of the young facilitators who run the campaign.



Ideas on Media Campaign (still to be developed in collaboration with Media partners)
• Cartoons, t-shirts, cards, PAS (Public Announcement Services), magazine,board game

1. An AIDS ribbon: made up of a collage of pictures that represent positive living.