![[Kenya] Theatre is a good way to pass on the AIDS message to low-literacy communities: beach community on the Kenyan shores of Lake Victoria. [Date picture taken: 08/31/2006]](https://assets.thenewhumanitarian.org/s3fs-public/styles/responsive_large_2x/public/images/2006954.jpg.webp?itok=UUKpFfcB "Theatre on the shores of Lake Victoria - a good way to pass on the AIDS message to low-literacy communities")
Lake Victoria, the world's second largest body of fresh water, is renowned for its rich harvests of tilapia and Nile perch, but the people living along its shores have the highest HIV-prevalence rate in Kenya.
Low literacy rates make music and drama the easiest ways of educating these communities about the dangers of HIV/AIDS, and well-attended competitions have enabled conservative communities to discuss more openly how HIV/AIDS is spread. "Here we talk about sensitive issues such as sexual intimacies," said Lillian Ondiek, senior project officer for the UK-based medical relief charity, Merlin.
The festival drew hundreds of people from offshore islands, who spent the entire day acting in plays, singing HIV-related songs and reciting original poetry about the pandemic's effects on their community. Winning teams were rewarded with trophies.
Merlin facilitated the latest event last week, and also provided on-site voluntary testing and counselling (VCT). Of the 40 women tested, 45 percent were HIV-positive, and 24 percent of the 66 men. According to Merlin project coordinator Emma Llewellyn, risky behaviour and lack of information "lead the disempowered women and girls to an even higher risk of HIV infection."
In Suba, one of 12 districts around Lake Victoria, Merlin recorded HIV rates of 60 percent among women and 26 percent in men during the past three months.
One of the main reasons for the high HIV prevalence is 'jaboya' [a customer who is also a lover] system, in which poverty forces female fish traders to engage in sexual relationships with fishermen to ensure a consistent supply of fish.
Competition is stiff, so women offer sexual incentives to fishermen to get the best fish; to 'matatu' (minibus taxi) drivers for transporting the fish; and to middlemen in the market to ensure a good price.
"The nature of the fishing industry also means that cash is turned over on a daily basis," said Llewellyn. "This does not encourage fishermen to save their money; money earned on one day is often spent immediately on food, alcohol and women."
"The fishermen [are] doing nothing with their money - when someone gets money he goes to the bar and goes with a woman whose status he doesn't know," commented David Gama, a registered nurse and theatre group member.
Elvid Okeyo, the AIDS chairman for the constituency, felt that stigma and ignorance also contributed to the high infection rate. "Cultural beliefs mean that people are seeing the disease as something other than HIV, and so are not trying to avoid it."
Change is slow, but it is happening, according Gama. "Before, people were dying and we didn't know why. We have been teaching for some months and now when the VCT group comes, we are getting a very large number. People are aware that there is a disease called HIV/AIDS."
Low literacy rates make music and drama the easiest ways of educating these communities about the dangers of HIV/AIDS, and well-attended competitions have enabled conservative communities to discuss more openly how HIV/AIDS is spread. "Here we talk about sensitive issues such as sexual intimacies," said Lillian Ondiek, senior project officer for the UK-based medical relief charity, Merlin.
The festival drew hundreds of people from offshore islands, who spent the entire day acting in plays, singing HIV-related songs and reciting original poetry about the pandemic's effects on their community. Winning teams were rewarded with trophies.
Merlin facilitated the latest event last week, and also provided on-site voluntary testing and counselling (VCT). Of the 40 women tested, 45 percent were HIV-positive, and 24 percent of the 66 men. According to Merlin project coordinator Emma Llewellyn, risky behaviour and lack of information "lead the disempowered women and girls to an even higher risk of HIV infection."
In Suba, one of 12 districts around Lake Victoria, Merlin recorded HIV rates of 60 percent among women and 26 percent in men during the past three months.
One of the main reasons for the high HIV prevalence is 'jaboya' [a customer who is also a lover] system, in which poverty forces female fish traders to engage in sexual relationships with fishermen to ensure a consistent supply of fish.
Competition is stiff, so women offer sexual incentives to fishermen to get the best fish; to 'matatu' (minibus taxi) drivers for transporting the fish; and to middlemen in the market to ensure a good price.
"The nature of the fishing industry also means that cash is turned over on a daily basis," said Llewellyn. "This does not encourage fishermen to save their money; money earned on one day is often spent immediately on food, alcohol and women."
"The fishermen [are] doing nothing with their money - when someone gets money he goes to the bar and goes with a woman whose status he doesn't know," commented David Gama, a registered nurse and theatre group member.
Elvid Okeyo, the AIDS chairman for the constituency, felt that stigma and ignorance also contributed to the high infection rate. "Cultural beliefs mean that people are seeing the disease as something other than HIV, and so are not trying to avoid it."
Change is slow, but it is happening, according Gama. "Before, people were dying and we didn't know why. We have been teaching for some months and now when the VCT group comes, we are getting a very large number. People are aware that there is a disease called HIV/AIDS."
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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