Cedar Tanzania has trained eight Community Health Workers, two from each village of Nyamatongo ward. At the end of October these same Community Health Workers, were further trained by Dr Neema, from Kamanga Health Centre, on how to facilitate dialogues with the community about the sensitive issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. 85 people from the community came to hear about how the virus is contracted, spread and treated, in the first of 15 planned community meetings around the ward. 50 of the community members took the opportunity offered, on the day, to receive HIV counseling and testing. They all found out their HIV status that same day.
Cedar Tanzania has planned the 15 community HIV/AIDS dialogues to cover all the hamlets of Nyamatongo ward, giving as many people as possible the opportunity to hear information that will help towards dispelling misinformation and prejudice about the disease. These eight Community Health Workers have their work cut out for sure, but it is a fulfilling task to raise awareness and increase knowledge in these rural communities.
And across the school fields, football coaches were doing a similar thing, informing young people about how HIV/AIDS can be contracted, spread and treated. Cedar Tanzania, in partnership with TackleAfrica, has continued to use football drills to educate young people about this disease. We are spreading the message and slowly but surely breaking down stereotypes and prejudice.
