Freak! Pervert! Sinner! Abuser!
These were some of the descriptions that participants had for what they surmised was what a person living with HIV/AIDS would be feeling when asked to share at the 9th District “HIV & Youth Campaign” Workshop hosted by the Rotaract Club of Colombo Regent at the ACBT Campus. These were honest opinions but based on what society has been teaching us all along… People living with HIV have invited the curse on themselves for their infidelity. To be honest, this was an opinion even I had given some thought and consideration to. If only I knew how the next few hours of this workshop were going to change my view of HIV, AIDS and people living with HIV suffering from these.
Hans was the man who stood before us in his pink bandana, pink flip-flops, two earrings to boot and a stare that really made you feel you were back in school, facing your feared principal. His tone was strict and his tone made you feel like you had just committed the crime of the century… yet in 7 hours, he opened my eyes to one of the biggest fallacies society today. Once he observed the aforementioned descriptions and thoughts among many written at the beginning of the program, he asked us if this is how we perceived people living with HIV to be.
What he did next shook all of that… to the very core: he got two best friends A and B to come forward and then began an illustration on how HIV could be contracted. A had just been infected with HIV about 3 days, and then B had been victim of a severe accident, where he had lost lots of blood. B’s blood type was an exact match of A’s, and so as his best friend, A volunteered to donate his blood to A. Using standard HIV detection techniques, which only test positive if the blood has been infected 3 months, naturally tested negative. Hence, the transfusion went ahead, and A was infected with HIV, unbeknownst to anyone. Fast-forward 7 years: A has moved to Australia, cutting all communication with B, who is now romantically involved with the girl of his dreams. They decide it would be a good time to tie the knot… however the girl wants them both to be tested for HIV. This time around, as it has been 7 years, B’s blood tests positive for HIV… leaving his girl, his family and his friends in utter shock and disbelief. Doctors go back through medical records and in the transfusion he received from A, A’s blood was negative for HIV. Hence, judging B to have been infected because of unfaithfulness to his society’s cultural standards, his girl, his family and friends all distance themselves. He is alienated as a pervert, a sinner. How else would he have gotten the infection? Who would know that it was A’s blood that infected B?
This could be the story of many… the shame they feel, the rejection they suffer from society… judged and alienated by standards that religion and culture have forced upon society which in turn down at these ‘outcasts’. My perception of HIV and AIDS was shattered… I had been on the other side myself; ready to strike down these ‘perverts’ with my stone of judgment. This workshop helped me to see beyond these veils and see the true face of the people living with HIV – to empathize with them, to feel their pain, to know their shame enforced by the society.
HIV is a rapidly spreading disease because of the lack of awareness, because society thinks it taboo to talk about it. I was shocked to find out that HIV is treatable with four simple steps: 1) Good sleep, 2) Proper Nutrition, 3) Exercise and 4) A sound mind. However, because people aren’t aware of this and so much more, people progress from Stage 1 through to Stage 4 which is when their immune system is completely compromised and their bodies have been infected by all manner of diseases. People could have prevented from reaching this stage if only they knew… if only someone spoke out.
There is so much more that we learnt at the workshop – the importance of contraception, especially condoms, which is something people here in Sri Lanka are shy to talk about. The modes of transmission of HIV, which is only through blood, semen, breast-milk and vaginal fluid, not through sharing a kiss with an HIV infected person, or eating from the same plate, or using the same washroom. People think HIV is infectious and stay aware from HIV victims –this is wrong! The fact is, people aren’t aware because society doesn’t want HIV to be considered a virus, rather a curse. Further along, we found that our medical centers are even equipped with facilities to cope with HIV at various stages, and most of this treatment is free of charge. Yet people, in fear of being seen going there and being brought to shame because of societal standards and judgment, avoid going to these facilities.
This workshop has helped me change my view and as a result, I have begun working on a project for HIV and AIDS awareness called “BREAK THE SILENCE”: because I firmly believe that we should break the silence that society has put on the topic of HIV and AIDS and we should support the people living with HIV and help them come out of their shells of shame, encourage them and let them know that they are people too, and they can be treated and live normal lives.
I would like to end this article by thanking Bhagya Ratnayake (District Director Community Service), Angelo Pereira (President, Rotaract Club of Colombo Regent) and Hans Billimoria and the student’s council at ACBT for organizing this event and opening my eyes, mind and heart to those living with HIV and AIDS.
It’s time to put aside the veil of shame… it’s time to speak out… it’s time to BREAK THE SILENCE!
By Rtr. Vasanth Kahandawela (RC of Colombo Regent)
Beyond Borders is doing another Forum Theatre for the Rotaract District 3220 ‘HIV & YOUth’ campaign (which targeted the urban and suburban youth through workshops, movie screenings and the forum theatre performances from October to December this year) on Friday, December 10th at 6.30pm at Punchi Theatre.
The forum theatre for this campaign is called ‘Who turned the lights off?’ This Forum Theater tackles the subjects in relation to the topics discussed at the ‘HIV & YOUth’ campaign workshops and movie screenings. It touches on topics such as information needs and level of awareness about HIV and Sexual Reproductive Health amongst youth, misconceptions, stigma and discrimination in relation to HIV. It takes you through the decisions, dilemmas and downfalls of our protagonist Ishanka, a Young girl who is challenged and disgraced by her peers, family and the society after being found HIV+. It will be an evening of exciting infotainment and learning.
Forum Theatre (FT) is used as a tool to bring out complex issues attached to sensitive social topics. FT was created by dramatist Augusto Boal in the latter half of the twentieth century, as part of his “Theater of the Oppressed”. Boal had the brilliant idea of allowing the audience to stop, modify and change the course of his drama performances; enhancing the overall experience of everyone involved in a novel manner. Today, this particular branch of theatre is known as Forum Theatre.
The Forum Theatre which is also the closing ceremony for the ‘HIV & YOUth’ campaign and is open for all Youth, Activists or anyone who is interested in such topics/issues.
Entrance is on invitation only. For invitations for the FT on the 10th December please write to us at hivandyouth@gmail.com or call us on 077-1952257.
Even before I attended this workshop I knew it was not going to be any ordinary workshop as two of our club members had already attended it before and they shared their experiences with all of us. But then I changed my mind. It turned out to be an extra-ordinary one for all of us.
I thought I knew all the important facts there was to know about HIV as I have been a Bio student for the past 6 years and I was even skeptical about whether or not I should attend this workshop. How wrong I was.
I learnt a whole lot of new things about HIV and AIDs and my understanding about HIV changed on that day. I came to realize that HIV was not the deadly “disease” that we all thought it was and that the people who were already infected had hope of living. And also these people could live with HIV for the rest of their lives by just following 4 simple medications of good nutrition, enough rest, good mental health and plenty of exercise. Another important thing I learnt was that even couples who were HIV positive had a chance of having children of their own.
The proper use of prevention methods such as the use of condoms was also a good thing. Who knew that oil to tear a condom and that a condom was able to carry 16 liters of liquid.
It would be great if we can spread what we have learnt at this workshop to as many people as we can because it really can make a difference.
HIV = DEATH needs to changed to HIV = LIFE and HOPE and as Rotaractors it is a change which we can bring about.
All in all it was one great workshop. All of us at Spectrum enjoyed every moment of it. Hans and his team made it a very fun session for all us, hats off to all of them. And a very big thank you to Rtr. Bhagya for making this workshop possible.
Cheers!
By Rtr. Krishan Balaji (Secretary) from the RC of Spectrum
The sixth phase of the ‘HIV & YOUth’ campaign, organized by IIT (Informatics Institute of Technology) on behalf of the Rotaract District 3220 was held on the 14th of November, at the IIT (Informatics Institute of Technology)premises. The comprehensive program by the Grassrooted team headed by Mr. Hans Billimoria was indeed in depth and changed perceptions of the individuals who attended the program.
Understanding HIV & its link to AIDS and making it clear that it is not the end, is what people have not done. Living with HIV has become simple with improvement in technology & science, as people of the community, we should make sure that the masses should be educated on prevention, and help them understand that people infected with the virus should be helped.
The program was certainly an eye opener which would surely would pave the way for the younger generations taking over, and change their mindsets to be more understanding to the situation.
The workshops helped the participants gain confidence & break out from their stereotyped shellsand become more comfortable to speak of issues such as HIV, AIDS and SEX openly and share their views.
It’s our responsibility to instill the same confidence in every individual we meet and encourage them to speak freely and think openly about the current issues, which is one of the main reasons for people infected and affected by HIV to not come forward and make use of the materials and resources available to them.
We being part of the community have been screened from the actual truth and do not know what’s really happening. Being a part of this program put everyone in the shoes of an HIV infected person and made us the feel the consequences faced mentally, physically & socially – we could be one of them.
Because of our environment and peoples lack of understanding there are many people dying of fear to be consulted, fear to get tested, and fear to take action.
A great initiative put together by all the organisations including The Rotaract District 3220, FPA, Grassrooted, UNFPA etc. to bring the community to a common understanding and therefore prevent the unfortunate from happening.
You could turn your back away from this but put yourself into those shoes and try feeling at least part of the pain. It could be one of us, life is unpredictable. Let’s fight HIV &AIDS together, make the change you want to see in the world – “Join the fight”.
By Rtr. President Abdul TZ Sanoon from the RC Colombo Millenium City
Upon hearing the grand plan to spread awareness of HIV amongst youth in Colombo, I was delighted. Awareness campaigns, rightly done, are always a good thing. Having grown up in a house with condoms lying all around-my father being an HIV Specialist- I knew my share of knowledge on the subject and have met many who live with it.
However, little did I know the uniqueness of this campaign. Of course we underestimated it at first! Yasith and I, chairing the project for our club, felt that such a campaign need specifically be addressed to the ‘non English’ speaking community. We were of the view that the greater percentage of youth in Colombo, had a fair understanding of what HIV was. Sadly, we overestimated them. We were of the view that by conducting this campaign in a school with little or no exposure to any kind of sexual education, would be of immense benefit to them.
Mind you, we were not wrong. On that fine weathered day of November 8th 2010, the Ordinary and Advanced Level students at Parakramabahu Maha Vidyalaya appreciated the campaign as much as we did. However, after speaking to Hans, the Program Conductor, one finds that there is no uniformity in conducting HIV campaigns. However good an intention we had in making the school aware of HIV and its repercussions, this campaign was too sensitive for the completely oblivious. Most of what was in the agenda could not be carried out. However, making the most of the situation the facilitators made it a memorable and interesting program that it was.
The art of conducting such a programme lies in its ability to reach out to the audience by means of captivating them throughout the session. And so we all listened, watched, participated and learned. One now knows never to complain of a condom as being too tight due its miraculous ability to hold 16 Liters of water. It was learned that no oil will lubricate a condom more than a scientifically recommended lubricant would. One learns that the use of the condom, dating back to the 1700s, could mark every difference in living an infected life or the one you have grown accustomed to.
Kudos to Rotaractor Bhagya Ratnayake for carrying out such an appreciable and beneficial campaign.
HIV and protection is merely the headline, one is required to take in the body of the article to gain a broader and more thorough understanding of it. And that, is precisely what Hans made us do.
By Rtr. Piyumi Buddhakorala of RC of Colombo Uptown
