AIDS Presentations

The first component of HMO’s HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention program is the presentation of information to large groups of people through a combination of lecture, videos, and skits. Presentations are organized at the request of, and in cooperation with, schools, churches, and other community centers. Presentations can be given to groups of any size, but audiences of as many as 800 people are not uncommon, especially at schools. No less than two volunteers lead presentations and they are usually accompanied by a translator provided by a local partner organization. At schools, translation is often found to be unnecessary and is foregone, but the local translator still plays an active role in engaging the audience, especially during the question-and-answer period. At community centers where audience members have not necessarily had formal education, the services of the translator are more likely to be required.

Topics covered during an HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention presentation include definitions of HIV and AIDS, modes of transmission of HIV, and the ABC’s of safe sex (Abstinence, Being faithful to one uninfected partner, and Condom use.) All this information is presented by first asking the audience what they know and then reinforcing each point through a short lecture and use of visual aids. Video cassettes may be used provided electricity and equipment are available. The video cassettes used cover a variety of specific topics, including HIV transmission, other sexually-transmitted diseases, and making safe decisions in difficult situations. Most of the videos have been produced in the Swahili language. If equipment is not available to show the videos, or if the audience might be more interested in something done in person, volunteers may elect to perform skits emphasizing the same concepts as in some of the videos. Skits usually focus on situations members of the audience might face and how best to deal with them, such as refusing to engage in sex if you do not have a condom. A condom demonstration may be given, depending on the composition of the audience and the wishes of the community leaders requesting the presentation.

Following the presentation of essential information about HIV and AIDS, audience members are encouraged to ask questions. This generally leads to meaningful discussion about the myths surrounding HIV/AIDS, which vary between communities but often include dangerous notions about possible cures, such as having unprotected sex frequently to wash the virus out of one’s system or having unprotected sex with a virgin. Identifying such falsities and discussing why they are not true is an extremely important part of the presentation.