hiv / aids project

'This rampant fire is killing Malawi'

Workshop participant, 2006

Complimenting our ongoing HIV and AIDS work with Save the Children and Johns Hopkins Malawi Bridge Programme, 2007 sees the introduction of an interactive community based project.

Millions of pounds, dollars and euros have been spent on educating people about HIV and AIDS. Recent statistics published the National Aids Commission suggest that people's knowledge of the virus and transmission is at 98%. But many people are not changing their behaviour.

Nanzikambe's vision is to move HIV and AIDS education away from scatter bombing massages upon people and hoping that they will adapt behaviour on the basis of knowledge, and provide regular, sustained, locally based interactive learning forums that tackle the plethora of issues within the wide spectrum of HIV and AIDS.

Stories, cultural mythology and practice are the basis for the programme.

Through training community based 'change actors' or 'activators' in the use of story and interactive learning and research techniques, a long term activity programme for the community is developed. The stories are increasingly drawn from specific local situation and needs, and are performed by local actors to the whole community once a month using forum theatre.

This type of intervention encourages an enabling environment for change within the community as a whole, whilst providing personal development education to the individual. The programme encourages communities to feel their way into thinking critically and looking afresh at deeply ingrained patterns of behaviour and perceptions.