I’m Stephen W Waweru from Dance4Life Kenya.My dad died six years ago,as a result of Aids and my mother died in December last year with the same disease,after a long term of illness and suffering.But the result of my father’s death was a mystery to my siblings and i,until last year when my mother got ill and tested positive.Watching my both parents dying was the most painful experience in my life,and mostly because of the fact that they died of Aids.How were they infected? Is it because they had no knowledge about the disease?Those are the questions I still ask myself till today. We have experienced a lot of challenges with my family,rejections and even abused,but mostly the agony and suffering my parents went through till the last day,and i would never want to see anyone go through that,or another soul lost because of Hiv and Aids.Maybe my parents were ignorant or dint get a person to tell them facts about Hiv and Aids, but personally I will use every minute I have,to tell out the truth to every person I get a chance to.I wonder how many people out there; don’t have the facts or any knowledge about this dangerous disease, especially the youths. I have dedicated my life to fight Hiv and Aids and use every platform I get to tell the world my story,and hope to save that one soul.I have a lot to talk about,but to all my fellow youths out there,Hiv and Aids is real.We are the ones to decide if this disease will end with our generation,and yes we can if we just decide to.Let’s come together and put an End!Hiv and Aids we can beat if we just take responsibility.

The Dance4life regional conference held in Tanzania was a great platform for young people, policy makers, media houses and various stakeholders in the HIV/AIDS scenario who are trying to play their part in helping to push back and halt the effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Dance4life works with young people and embraces their energy and enthusiasm making them agents for change in their schools and communities. Apart from the media and different organizations attending from within Tanzania the conference also had young people from Kenya (SHARON WANJIRU) and Zambia (ZGANGA T MVULA) Dance4life youth council attending, which provided for great diversity in the sharing experiences and way forward (s) in relation to young people living positively with HIV and how in both countries the situation was being dealt with. With all the learning and different topics discussed at the conference, what really came out strongly throughout the whole conference was evidence that dance4life Tanzania has done tremendous work over the years in reaching young people and actually giving them a voice. I could see this through the number of young people that came out to give their personal stories as positive speakers (Young people living with HIV/AIDS). A very unique, interesting and touching part for me through all this was a session called ”Voice of Hope(positive voice)” by Neema. One of the most beautiful and courageous girls I have seen. Her story though sad was very encouraging so was her confidence. Tanzania has such a high number of positive speakers within the dance4life movement, a sign that young people are being given enough platform. Within the group we met and had discussions with I met 3 very energetic positive speakers who are full agents for change and are part of the Heart connection, they each have a story to tell, very sad circumstances in their young lives and yet they laugh, dance and above all inspire and motivate others with their strength. I am made to understand most if not all ‘came out’ with their status as a result of dance4life (bravo!). It is just amazing how everyone loves and is supportive of everyone else in that group. People… and I speak from the heart when I say this; dance4life does give voice, strength and chance to prove ourselves as young leaders. It doesn’t matter whether it is training in Uganda, a meeting in the Netherlands or a conference in Tanzania, any group meeting to do a Dance4Life activity always has the same ‘aura’, a sense of purpose and the need for change. And boy am I glad to be a part of such a global movement! Tanzania ni nzuri, meaning Tanzania is beautiful! In Swahili (I hope I got that right)! Zganga T mvula, ZAMBIA.