Take responsibility

What can you do about it?

• make sure you are accurately informed about HIV and AIDS
• feel confident to talk openly about the facts about HIV and AIDS
• don’t discriminate against those living with HIV and take action to eliminate stigma and discrimination.

“I am 15 years old and I live in Zambia. In my country, living with HIV has brought shame on myself and my family. People assume that I have had sex with someone I shouldn’t. Some people even say that I am being cursed by god or it is witchcraft that is making me sick. I have dropped out of school and many of my friends have lost their jobs and been thrown out of their home."

How can you get correct information about HIV and AIDS?

• read or download the Dance4Life HIV and AIDS Fact Sheet, which will explain the basics, as well as the Dance4Life condom Fact Sheet. If you want any further information then contact your local health clinic, or email Dance4Life.
• find out about the HIV situation in your country. We have information about the impact of HIV on Dance4Life countries.

Why should you talk openly about HIV and AIDS?

• some people are embarrassed about talking about HIV and AIDS because of the relationship of HIV to sex or drugs. The more stigma and discrimination around HIV, the less people talk about it openly , and it becomes a vicious circle.
• this leads to inaccurate information and common misunderstandings about HIV, making it more difficult to protect yourself and others.
• by having correct information about HIV, sharing it with others, and taking responsibility to protecting yourself, you are playing an important part in halting the spread of HIV.

How can you share your knowledge about HIV and AIDS?

• first of all, make sure you are confident about your knowledge about HIV and AIDS.
• understand that HIV can infect and affect everyone. Don't allow the stigma and discrimination around HIV and AIDS to keep you quiet.
• you can talk to your friends, your family, your community, your school, your work, anyone! Here are some ideas about how to do it:

School:
Assemblies: Plan assemblies to introduce Dance4Life and the issues surrounding HIV & AIDS. You could begin with an assembly about the project and followed by a series of assemblies based on each of the countries involved/worst affected or looking at different issues, for example:
• How HIV is spread;
• Stigma and discrimination;
• Medication, the World Health Organisation and pharmaceutical companies;
• Further implications such as the rising number of orphans and families left without incomes, national economies being affected through a weaker workforce;
• The impact of religious institutions;
• Information for your fellow pupils on protection, testing, care, and counselling.
If you want more information about planning assemblies, please email us.

Lessons: Talk with teachers to see how they could fit information about HIV and AIDS into their lessons. Some examples are:
• Generally- looking at the importance of healthy relationships, contraception, sexually transmitted infections, HIV and high-risk behaviours, the effects of bullying, stigma and discrimination and how to challenge them assertively, how to empathise with people affected by HIV/AIDS, issues around caring for someone with HIV & AIDS;
• Science - look at how the virus is carried/transmitted and survives
• Dance – perhaps studying and trying dance styles from the other countries involved in Dance4Life or using dance and movement to create a narrative piece dealing with an issue related to HIV and AIDS
• Drama – exploring storytelling from Dance4Life countries and coming up with a piece confronting issues surrounding HIV and AIDS
• Art – looking at styles used in other countries and creating a collage or an exhibition of pieces inspired by stories of people affected by HIV and AIDS
• English – creative writing and poetry, e.g. writing pieces from the perspective of someone affected by HIV and/or AIDS, writing about the global situation, writing about what people are/are not doing to halt the further spread of HIV, writing an article about the global pandemic, perhaps including interviews with world leaders
• History – tracing the growth of HIV and AIDS throughout the past few decades looking at factors that have affected it reaching crisis levels; looking at the history of campaigning and where and why it has been successful.

Informative materials: Create some informative and captivating materials that can be put up around the school (in corridors, classrooms, library, pupil common room, canteen, etc.). You could involve other pupils as part of their media, enterprise or design lessons.

Work:
There are loads of opportunities to discuss HIV and AIDS in the workplace, especially if you are the employer. Bring up the subject during a break, hand out the Dance4Life HIV and AIDS Fact Sheet, organise a fundraiser where information can be given out. Ask a local nurse or doctor to come and talk about it.

Family and friends:
Talk to those closest to you about HIV and AIDS - you could have a video night at home with them and choose one of the following films that has HIV in the storyline:

The Constant Gardener (2005) - Rachel Weisz won an Oscar for her compelling role in this brilliant film about Kenya, HIV and the motives of pharmaceutical companies in developing countries.

Yesterday (2005) - Oscar nominated South African film that explores the country's HIV crisis through the experience of a young woman.

Philadelphia (1993) - starring Tom Hanks where you will learn a lot about HIV. But don’t forget this was set in the 1990s and a lot has changed since then!

A Closer Walk (2003) - interviews with people affected with HIV and AIDS from all walks of life, like Kofi Annan and Bono. Find out more at www.acloserwalk.org.

MTV's Transit (2005)