The moment Stanley Ngara walks into the workshop hall something strikes you about him. His short stature is highly compensated by his loud captivating voice. His black jacket has a red ribbon, the HIV/AIDS symbol, pinned to it. Ngara is a counsellor and a community mobilize with Liverpool Voluntary Counselling and testing (LVCT), an organization that is involved in matters of reproductive health as well as HIV/AIDS testing and counselling. Ngara’s presentation is on the A to Z of HIV, with a focus on prevention among youths. What is fascinating about this discussion is how he tackles issues considered taboo in such an easy, assertive, comical, youth- friendly way.
“You know, I carry more condoms in my pocket than cash...if you meet me
in town, ask me for condoms”, he candidly speaks to the crowd.
He has with him a black bag that carries his ‘paraphernalia’ which
include more condoms, the male and female condom and his note book. From the
onset, it is evident that protected sex is his main agenda. He interactively
involves his audience by asking:
“How does someone contract HIV?”
Unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person, sharing HIV contaminated
tools (razors and needles) alongside blood transfusion were named to be the main
reasons for the spread of HIV and especially among young people. To emphasize
on the rapid spread of HIV, Ngara created a chain of relationships drawn from
the listeners.
He picked a young man and woman, who represented a married couple. He
asked another young lady to join the couple, who stood next to the ‘husband’ to
represent a girlfriend (a clandestine relationship) and the girlfriend (who is
a campus student), had an affair with her lecturer for better grades. More and
more listeners were linked up to the chain; they represented maids, wives,
electricians, water-man and so forth. In all the named relationships, for one
reason or another, did not use condoms during sex. This highlights the
magnitude that HIV can spread if one person in the link had either HIV or even
an STI. It would have a ripple effect in the entire flow. Through the simple
words and demonstration Ngara echoed that the most vulnerable population to
HIV/AIDS is through casual sex partners also ‘mpango wa kando.’
More illustrations were underway. Next, he used his models (the male and
female reproductive organs) for condom demonstration. The DO’s and DONTs for
correct and consistence condom use. As he was wrapping one condom on the male
model he said:
“Always use a condom, it is the best way to protect yourself and partner,
ladies if the man refuses to put on one, you can be tactful and creative I will
show you how “Ngara said.
As ladies tuned to the charismatic speaker, he confidently unwrapped a
condom and tossed it into his mouth. In doing so, Ngara was demonstrating a
woman can tactfully sheath a man’s penis using her mouth! Now that was
re-inventing the wheel! Ngara further highlighted the importance of protection
and the efforts the government is doing to minimize HIV infections and
re-infections. Unknown to most of the participants, the government spends Kshs 3
to buy a condom for the public use. As the session was coming to an end, a lot
had been learnt and one was certain that Ngara tackled a topic that many people
assumed they know or avoided addressing. His creativity, spontaneity and humour
resounded long after he had left.
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