Making a difference: AIDS education in Zimbabwe

“We work with the communities, not as bosses, but as partners,” says Exaviour Makwengura, who works at Silveira House, Zimbabwe.

“The Community-based AIDS Programme was designed knowing that we would have little time in the field with the communities," he explains. "We therefore decided to engage 'peer educators' and to give responsibility for the programme to the community leaders."

Exaviour, Head of Silveira House’s Health Department since 1993, believes that community involvement has been essential to the success of the work.

"The programme is community-driven,” he explains. “Silveira House does not prescribe what is done; instead it is the communities who tell us what they want. If they ask us to run workshops for peer educators, community leaders or secondary school students, that is what we do…

“We target secondary school students because the students then disseminate information about HIV/AIDS to the elderly, who are largely illiterate, and to other fellow students.

“We see the fact that discussions about HIV and AIDS have already started in the communities as an achievement of the programme. Through such discussions, openness about HIV and AIDS is now developing."

The Community-Based AIDS Programme began in 1992 and initially focused on women. In 2000, the programme was revised to focus on educational activities for men and young boys.

Exaviour explains why the programme changed its focus. “Ninety-two per cent of HIV infection is through sexual intercourse. Men must be made aware of this, then men can definitely make a difference.

“In Zimbabwe, men dominate every situation. Even in sexual relations, men make the decisions. We must educate men, teach them that women can also play a role, that women should be consulted and allowed to make decisions.”

Anslem Tapfumanei, programme officer for the Community-Based AIDS programme adds, “Men often work away from home. Often, they misbehave, they come home infected with HIV and then they infect their wife. The man will not accept that he is responsible and will blame his wife. In reality, the man brought the problem home. Men need to be given information, to be challenged with the facts. Then they will be able to change.”

Exaviour says that the programme is starting to have an impact on attitudes.

“Before, the majority of people at our workshops and meetings used to be women. Now numbers of men are increasing. Men are now concerned, they are more aware of the problems.”

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