The AIDS pandemic has obliged CCIVS members all over the world and particularly in Africa to develop appropriate actions within their area of competence.

WORKCAMPS

Eastern Africa Workcamps Association (EAWA) has run several activities as
part of a Youth Co-operation Pilot Project on the methods to raise awareness on the issue in creative ways. In October 2005 a seminar and workcamp were organised in co-operation with UNESCO to adapt the French manual on awareness raising on HIV AIDS using forum theatre to anglophone Africa. Burkinabe actor Prosper Kampaoré introduced the technique of Forum Theatre and Laura Myers, a South African based youth and theatre expert, led the group of 42 participants from 17 countries through the process of action and reflection to modify the existing tools.

Click here to view a film on the workcamp.
- This is very heavy and requires swiff player, http://www.globfx.com/

Report: "Forum Theatre as a tool for preventive education on HIV/AIDS", Uganda, October 2005.

A TOOL-KIT

Following the workcamp, a 70 page manual has been produced in cooperation with UNESCO to raise awareness on issues related to HIV and AIDS using Forum theatre. The kit can be downloaded here.

The kit has been developed in the frame of UNESCO's programme identifying culturally appropriate responses to HIV and AIDS. Click here For more information on UNESCO's approach.

The toolkit is designed to be "hands-on" for youth and theatre groups to use it in the awareness raising actions with the local population in different English speaking African countries. The text with its numerous examples and its fresh language is designed to incite voluntary organisations and youth groups to develop their own theatre plays based on the specific reality they wish to address, and the myths and taboos which are present in the community they are working with. The last part of the kit contains examples of skits, which can be played through or used as a basis to develop your own scenes. All through the kit high importance is given to explain how to avoid stigmatising language and attitudes when developing your own artistic performances.

For the French, Spanish and Arabic versions of the manual please visit the following web page: http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=12918&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING

CCIVS is also developing a pilot project on an itinerant series of capacity building seminars in various African countries aiming at training a maximum number of youth leaders on efficient and culturally adapted ways to raise awareness on HIV AIDS using the CCIVS/UNESCO Kit.

For more tools and information on the theme please also visit the site on UNESCO’s action against HIV AIDS. You can also refer to the UNESCO/UNAIDS toolkit, "HIV/AIDS and Human Rights: Young People in Action", which includes resources and contact information and is available at: www.unesco.org/hiv/human_rights.

Culture and Communication, or How to name the unnameable?