Improved Gender Acts and Discrimination of Children Initiative (IGADCI) visited Hillbrow S.S.S. on 15 August 2024 on a mission to spread awareness to Eastern Cape’s remote area schools.
IGADCI is an organization that was founded by Litha Mvunelo in 2022 with an initiative to combat gender based violence (GBV) and health education, the organisation’s latest aim was to spread health awareness through HIV & AIDS educational programs across remote area schools such as the Lusikisiki’s (LU) Hillbrow S.S.S and Siwali S.S.S. In addition, it entailed an invocation of HIV treatment literacy events across community Imbizo and taxi ranks in this area, all this with the help of the National Aids Council.
Communications Coordinator, Thabisa Ndzindzwa, reflected her appraisal and joy for the successful endeavour to equip with knowledge those unfortunate to have become part of the group living with the disease, and those that have yet to contact it.
“We have recognised the need to teach young people of ages 15 – 24 in our communities, therefore, we seek to find others like us that can help pilot this war craft across battlefields. The Undetectable equals untransmittable (U=U) campaign hopes to see a radical change in human behaviour especially with the younger generation, our young shall stand tall and get tested to be in total awareness of their statuses, get initiated on treatment and keep the uninfected, uninfected,” said Ndzindzwa.
Ndzindzwa went on to say that they spread awareness that the disease has never been the end of life and that people must do away with the stigma. She also shared prevention tips such as using contraceptives which includeed the use of condoms, PREP pills which many in remote areas are not aware of. PREP pills can be used to prevent one from contacting HIV and must be taken by anyone with a negative status.
Iviwe Nombafu, a grade 9 pupil at Hillbrow residing at the local Slovo joyfully expressed the lessons attained from the free classes which surpassed those of the normal syllabus from her school.
“I now know how to protect myself and how to teach others about this disease, being aware now that it does not kill if one stands to fight it, I know people can now be with their spouses in the most of safe contacts. I could go on and on teaching other kids about the dangers of stigma and how to fight this war,” iterated Nombafu.
Part of the stake holders to attend the massive event was Mzwandile Langa of Community Media Trust that supports the campaign, Langa told Pondoland Times that he was happy with the progress so far and added that a few students came to him personally seeking counseling and testing for STIs.
“We are a mobile clinic that attends everyone privately for tests and pill supply to the infected should they prefer so, we also enable convenience of collection points to everyone across their respective areas,” closed Langa.
