How Stop SIDA reaches its audience
The fight against HIV/AIDS requires many strategies given that people do not have the same abilities to understand what they are told. This is why the following methods are used to perform Stop SIDA activities: Radio programs, video show, printed materials, posters, person-to-person education, role play, puppets, reaching the youth, recreational activities, concern in social activities, and training.
Radio programs
Radio is the most important tool in the fight against HIV/AIDS because it is an excellent means of reaching a great number of people at the same time. The logic in refugee camps is that the Voice of America (VOA) via the UNHCR has provided radio sets to enable refugee communities and their neighbouring villages to get information about their daily lives including HIV/AIDS.
Thanks to this facility of getting information, Stop SIDA has created radio programmes to alert the community about HIV given that radio is the best way to impart the information to many people. The message to fight against HIV/AIDS is presented through entertainment. To succeed in this activity, Stop SIDA works jointly with Radio Kwizera (RK) functional in Ngara and Kibondo districts where generally the refugee camps are situated. In Radio Kwizera programs on HIV/AIDS, journalists always praise the good and great performance of Stop SIDA. Also, Stop SIDA has launched on Radio Kwizera a Kirundi program to encourage safer behaviour. Thanks to the work of radio campaigns, since 2001, HIV contamination has decreased in refugee camps. The campaigns mainly focus on monogamy, condom use, HIV testing, and behaviour change.
Sebisaba Noé, the Stop SIDA association initiator and coordinator accepts that Radio Kwizera helps Stop SIDA to fight against HIV. “It was in December 2001 when the association organised a walk to sensitise the community to the existence of HIV/AIDS. The JRS/Radio Kwizera team-leader connected loudspeakers from the battery of her car to help with the audio effect. The Stop SIDA members marched behind the car, across Kanembwa refugee camp chanting slogans”, he added.
The Stop SIDA coordinator also agrees that the first success for his association was the day Radio Kwizera agreed to air the Stop SIDA’s programme called “Wanka Bangwe” (meaning: cost for those who do not pay attention ) putting on air divers matters about HIV/AIDS each Monday.
Video shows
Because there is no possibility to watch HIV/AIDS television programs in refugee camps, Stop SIDA uses recorded programmes to show to the community how HIV/AIDS is dangerous. Because films are a means to inform people while entertaining them, video show seems to be the best way of giving knowledge on HIV/AIDS. This method attracts many spectators, especially young people. To reach a great number of viewers, video shows are organised in different places including health centre, waiting areas, schools, and workplaces. Films combine words and pictures; it is an effective way to attract many spectators because people in general believe in what they have watched on the video screen.
Leaflets, posters and other printed materials
Leaflets and posters are used in Stop SIDA to inform about HIV/AIDS to people who do not dare ask what they do not know about sex. For example, there are people who are still convinced that it is not proper to speak openly about sex. These people need a help. To inform them, there is a need to put promotional materials in various public places so that they can read and get the required information that will help them to avoid being contaminated by HIV. For example many people, especially adults, do not know how to use condoms. Some will be shy to ask questions on condom use. But, if you prepare for them a leaflet or a poster on this issue, they will read it in an interested way.
In Stop SIDA association, printed materials have a great role to challenge misbehaviours that are found in the community. They remind whoever should pretend to ignore that HIV/AIDS is a challenge in the community. For example, Stop SIDA uses T-shirts with written warning on the front and back side. Whoever sees someone wearing the T-shirt reads what HIV/AIDS is. Also who puts on the T-shirt must behave responsibly to avoid criticisms when he/she behaves against what is written on the T-shirt. Posters, leaflets and printed materials facilitate to bring HIV/AIDS topic to the attention of the community because they highlight what people know on HIV/AIDS. They also stimulate ideas for debate. To inform and educate the community, Stop SIDA distributes posters at work places, playgrounds, churches, markets, hair saloons and public houses.
Person-to-person AIDS education
While teaching the community, the best method to use would be Radio, TV and printed materials but the problem is that there are some specific cases in which people need a direct discussion. In this perspective, Stop SIDA uses a person-to-person education. This kind of methodology focuses on giving particular pieces of advice about how to change behaviour, and how to improve life especially when someone is HIV positive.
Role play/ community theatre
Role-play is used to inform or educate people through entertainment. The performer is given a particular role and tries to teach others. The play can treat a topic about HIV/AIDS, the use of condom, safer sex method and other teaching on how to avoid HIV. To prepare a community theatre, actors insist on the prevailing behaviours that could be the origin of HIV contamination. At the end of the play, participants comment on the topic and try to find solution to the problem.
Puppets
Using puppets is a proper way to teach the community through entertainment. By using toys, performers attract many people to whom they have a message about HIV/AIDS to provide at the end. Puppets enable to hold attention of participants. They are a way to stimulate discussion about the HIV/AIDS matters.
Reaching young people
The duty of Stop SIDA is to protect young people to be contaminated by HIV. To ensure that they are not being contaminated, Stop SIDA has organised programmes to enable them to start learning HIV/AIDS at the earlier age. To succeed in gathering young people for HIV/AIDS teaching, Stop SIDA uses people that are prominent in the youth groups such as musicians, famous sportsmen, and eminent music groups. These people will have to create concerts in witch they will sings songs on HIV/AIDS. Other methods used to reach young people are peer education by trained young volunteers who provide health education during young people gatherings.
Training
Stop SIDA organises many training to keep its members well-informed about HIV/AIDS. Given that there is a scientific progress in the medical domain, these trainings are very useful because they allow participants to get the evolution of the HIV/AIDS pandemic worldwide. Also trainings enable to participants to get the new vision on HIV/AIDS. The topics learnt during trainings will reach the whole community given that, participants themselves will have to organise workshops on the local area so that every member of the community gets the required information about HIV/AIDS.
Recreational activities
To make itself known in the community, Stop SIDA is involved in Sports activities. Some recreational competitions are organised to entertain the community. During these activities, it is an occasion to distribute printed materials that inform people how to fight HIV/AIDS. Also the recreational matches and contests allow people to enjoy without engaging themselves in sex. The sports leagues and federations permit people to have fun and support their preferred contestants and teams. Also, sports help to promote understanding and mutual respect among people sharing the same vision and mission. So it is a means to strengthen the relationship between Stop SIDA members. The sports competitions that Stop SIDA organizes are: football, volleyball, netball, basketball, and athletics. To stimulate the sports spirit, winners are awarded prices. From sport activities Stop SIDA has made its name in various refugee camps as well as in villages surrounding the camps because during the match, Stop SIDA association delivers messages on how to fight against HIV/AIDS.
Other kinds of recreational activities arranged by Stop SIDA are drama and concerts that are performed in the youth centres. During these activities, Stop SIDA members entertain people while delivering messages on HIV/AIDS.
Concern in social activities
To participate in social activities is one of the methods to advertise oneself. For an organisation like Stop SIDA, people will like it considering how it contributes in social matters and how it cares the public interest. Concerning social activities, Stop SIDA participate in various events that occur in the four refugee camps. In its daily life, the association shows that it is working for the public welfare.
Stop SIDA in collaboration with TCRS supports people living with HIV by visiting them or intervening in mourning in case of death. Sometimes, small contributions are done by members to assist financially HIV positive people in critical health conditions. In addition, TCRS through Stop SIDA has launched some micro projects for people living with HIV so that they reduce their financial problems. In this perspective, TCRS through Stop SIDA has offered twelve cows and twenty-eight she-goats to the people living with HIV in Kanembwa, Mtendeli, Karago, and Nduta refugee camps so that they get milk to balance their diet.