28 November 2006
Gauteng again deploys 12 000 trained volunteers to educate people
door-to-door from 27 November to 1 December 2006 (five days). Municipalities
lead the door-to-door teams who focus on educating people face to face on HIV
prevention, healthcare for AIDS, and social support for children affected by
AIDS, including access to poverty programmes.
Together we aim to educate more than one and a half million people on a
range of AIDS issues. Volunteers work in all the corners of the Gauteng
province, prioritising informal settlements.
Analysis of our HIV prevention results shows that communication campaigns
have generated high knowledge of HIV and AIDS but that a face-to-face
educational process is needed to translate knowledge into action. Hence the
theme: 'Turn talk into action'.
There is agreement across all agencies involved in AIDS that changing sexual
behaviours is a complex process, involving multiple steps, including knowledge,
attitudes, social norms, confidence, self-efficacy, discussion and support for
constructive behaviours. Community organisations and role models play important
roles in supporting these processes.
In addition, up to 30% of people, especially women, do not have control over
the conditions in which they have sex, due to economic and gender inequalities,
intoxication with alcohol or drugs or sexual coercion. Social values also play
a role where younger, poorer pretty women partner with older, richer men for
gain (social status, gifts or economic survival).
Again, role models and community partners play key roles in the social
changes required to address these problems.
Forty role models from the arts, media, sports, faith-based groups, people
living with HIV and AIDS, care and support non-governmental organisations
(NGOs) and government have contributed to the campaign articulating thoughtful
responses to the social problems highlighted by the AIDS pandemic.
The three pamphlets address HIV prevention ('Turn talk into action'),
healthcare for AIDS ('Turn talk into action') and social support for children
and families affected by AIDS ('Children need all the love and care we can
give'). The pamphlets provide the information to support education, including
approaches to issues that have been controversial.
These pamphlets guide education by volunteers across Gauteng and are
supplied to all organisations running events around World AIDS Day. Three
million English pamphlets have been supplied with Zulu, Sesotho and Afrikaans
in production.
A wide range of AIDS events will take place during the AIDS week, 27
November to 1 December including:
* events by Mayors of Metros from 1 to 3 December
* South African Council of Churches (SACC) leaders pledge on AIDS on 1
December
* the Sports Heroes Walk leaves Tshwane on 28 November for the North West
province
* the Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation has organised a relay
sports event which moves across all areas in Gauteng
* many businesses will profile AIDS during the week
* the AIDS Consortium holds a graduation on 28 November for 60 NGOs trained on
organisational development in 2006, co-funded by Gauteng government and Isle de
France.
Enquiries:
Howard Ndaba
Cell: 082 334 9851 or
Liz Floyd
082 372 0552
Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
28 November 2006
