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March 23rd, 2006, The Power of Knowing, by Jim

AIDS Awareness Day in Ndawana.

We never imagined the day would turn out this way. The First Annual AIDS Awareness Day in Ndawana. In our first year here we never heard HIV/AIDS except from our team members. True, about 200 people from the village have now been tested for HIV. True, about 80 of those are positive and some 20 are on ARVs. True, at St. Appolinaris Hospital, where the catchment area contains about 150,000 people, Ndawana accounts for 30% of the people coming in to the clinic about HIV – with a population of 3,900. True, all of that is because every week we take 30 people for testing and treatment, and there is always a long waiting list for transportation over the 100 km. to the hospital. But that transport is expensive and hard on the people, involving 12-14 hour days.

So, we started testing and counseling at our clinic (which is just what we call it, since it doesn’t qualify as a “real” clinic in the South African health system). The first day we did testing, the Chief and two of his senior advisors came for testing. We tested 30 other people and 40 more showed up that we couldn’t accommodate. We’ve ordered 300 more tests for next week. Every person tested gets a red t-shirt with “I’ve been tested” and other AIDS messages.

Still, stigma remained high. Still, most people wouldn’t reveal their status. Still, we are a small isolated community with a lot of traditional restraints. Or are we? Let’s have an AIDS awareness day and see how many people we can get out to talk freely and openly about living with AIDS, about stigma, about having the power to change.

The hook was that we had competitions in the areas of original songs, poetry, drama, posters, and choirs, all based on AIDS awareness. School groups and adults were invited to enter. Even the 10-12 year group were given reading material about HIV, and then invited to a spelling bee using words related to that topic.

The weather forecasts were for rain and storm. We put up four huge tents, one for VIPs, two for community members and one for performers. On the day, March 21st and International Human Rights Day, it was cloudy but dry. At least 1200 people showed up, and there were a total of over 50 entries. And what entries they were: explicit, engaging, hilarious, dramatic, heart-wrenching. No punches pulled: AIDS is killing our people and we have to stop it, we have to practice safe-sex, we have to be aware, we have to meet stigma head-on. Even the junior high school entries were focused. Much laughter, many tears.

And the VIPs: 15 from Medicins Sans Frontieres in Lusikisiki 300 km. away, 11 from the Treatment Action Campaign (which took the South African government to court and forced the government to provide ARVs in the public health system) in Pietermaritzburg 130 km. away, 8 from St. Appolinaris hospital 100 km. away, 7 from Sisonke Health district, some from Underberg, some from local farms. Mrs. Radebe, head of the health district, was our keynote speaker. MSF and TAC performed and spoke dramatically, many of them wearing t-shirts that read “HIV positive.” They were totally intrigued with Ndawana, they had fun, they engaged, and they asked us to work with them and stay connected.

And then, wonder of wonders, after thinking our own village people wouldn’t give testimonials, 7 of them stood up to speak, 6 wearing our red t-shirts. They entreated the people, they waved condoms, they spoke of their own pain and of the hope for Ndawana. Our team member Sipho was one. The chief bricklayer for the Centre was one. A home-based-care worker was one. And our beloved Busi Duma was one. After they spoke, Busi went through the whole adult crowd with boxes of condoms, and most people took them.

And as she left, Mrs. Radebe told us that they are going to make us an ARV rollout site. Something we have dreamed, but thought it would take years, because we will be the most remote ARV site in South Africa, and the smallest. The people of Ndawana won their hearts just as they have won ours. And today, the day after, the village was buzzing about yesterday, giving us thumbs ups, and most of all, talking openly about HIV/AIDS. These beautiful people are doing it, and doing it with flair.

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