RAPSIDA Reports and Journal
RAPSIDA’s Annual Report 2008 Summary
In 2008, the RAPSIDA program:
- Continued the Global Fund Project in Nyanza, reaching thousands of vulnerable youth, orphans, and vulnerable children with vocational training and/or HIV Prevention trainings and organizing, including creation/enhancement of Child Protection Networks, in collaboration with the District of Nyanza.
- Continued the 6 Schools/Associations HIV Prevention and Anti Discrimination Project in Rwamagana, Bugesera, and Gasabo Districts. Notable changes included the inclusion of the Association Members in the student plays as actors!
- Initiated and Hosted a special stakeholders’ meeting with partners working with School Anti Sida Clubs, jump-starting dialogue about best practices and challenges. Now the process of coordinating the messages and services provided to and by these Anti-SIDA Clubs has been jumpstarted by RAPP and the Ministries of Education and Youth along with NGOs like Volunteer Services Oversees are working within this stakeholder’s structure to get info, ideas, and ensure efficiency and efficacy!
- Paid School Fees for 20 orphans and vulnerable children who are part of the associations on the full time schools project.
- Revised/Clarified the Badge of Hope Program (Solidarity + Prevention = Hope)
- Carried out a second competition for PSI/CDC in Theatre with 60 Schools in 14with 60 Schools in 14 Districts on the theme of Stopping Cross Generational Sex and Produced 3 broadcast quality films with the top three schools
- Ran the Scenarios from Africa Contest in
- Won the
- Managed the Innocente Program for the
- Hosted 2 volunteers, Jane Nesbitt and Elizabeth Hill, who contributed greatly to organizational development as well as to the RAPSIDA PSI/CDC project, and researching the effectiveness of the RAPSIDA program related to the actors in the plays and how well they themselves are receiving the message of their plays
- Hired a Deputy Program Director to help manage, evaluate, and take over much of the day-to-day activities at RAPSIDA
- Developed and Performed plays for our German friends Dr. Blasig and Karl when then were here to open health centers in Kabuye and Gisagara
- Contributed to the development of the CNLS/Unicef’s Pediatric HIV/AIDS Conference for Dec 2-4 2008 -- RAPSIDA will sent Michel Ruminiga (our Deputy Program Director) to serve as a rapporteur for this significant conference.
- Fixed the car many many times
RAPSIDA Annual Report Summary 2007
Actvities
Dubbing 33 short films on HIV/AIDS into Kinyarwanda for Scenarios from Africa: Scenarios (www.scenariosafrica.com) is a contest for youth below age 25 to write short scenarios for 5 minute films on HIV/AIDS. RAPSIDA ran the contest in 2005 and is the Rwanda National Coordinator for the contest in 2007/8. We are currently dubbing the 33 existing Scenarios Films into Kinyarwanda to be used for the 2007/8 Contest! Many thanks to our creative team, including Raymond Kalisa and Alice Kayibanda, and especially to Scenarios from Africa for their financial support, technical expertise and encouragement!
After translating the films we tested them with actors and HIV/AIDS Professionals
After testing the films we went into the studio. Actor Kennedy Mazimpaka (left) and Studio/Dubbing Director Raymond Kalisa at the Narrow Road Studios in
RAPSIDA 6 SCHOOLS PROGRAM
The second full year of RAPSIDA’s Schools program -- with the theme “Choose Life” -- got underway in January and will continue through the end of October, generously supported this year by Action Tagwerk and Action Medeor from
We worked closely again with the local associations of PLWHA in the school communities to run the program at the schools for 2007, with a special meal for teachers and students, and the competition judges too!
Leader Training and Planning Seminar
Two students and one teacher from each school, and one member from each association of PLWHA, gathered for 5 days to top-up/gain skills and knowledge and explore the best ways to proceed with the program. It was inspiring to see the way the students, teachers and association members worked and brainstormed together! They even created phenomenal theatre sketches (above right), and they decided to host a special competition in Round 3 where students, teachers, and association members will perform together in the same play!
Of course, during the training seminar, we partnered with an Association of PLWHA, Twizerane, to provide some fantastic lunches! After lunch one day, they joined us for the Sexual and Reproductive Health Seminar, and we returned to their association to not only eat but also to discuss how to Live Positively With HIV, to hear their personal experiences/testimonies, and to sing songs to let the community outside know how we are one!
Special Additions to the RAPSIDA Schools Program in 2007:
- School Fee Payments and Uniforms for 4 Youth from each of 6 Associations of PLWHA These students attend our 6 schools (and get involved in the anti-SIDA clubs). This has brought us to a greater awareness of the problem of student to student discrimination (against students who have HIV or who are associated with people living with HIV/AIDS). The problem has manifested itself in hazing of HIV+ youth, and students refusing to share a bed with a student from one of the associations (our schools are boarding schools and students frequently must share beds to save space). Our clubs have started doing plays about this issue to create public dialogue and action at their schools. Below, students from 3 schools responded to a recent hazing at APEBU with an impromptu play, guided by RAP’s Sulemani.
- We began working with an additional association in Nyamata, Twisungane! Murakaza Neza! (Welcome to the Program!)
- We purchased Bulletin Boards from the Carpentry projects of the associations of PLWHA and provided one to each of the Schools for the Clubs to post messages for each other and the school community. All bulletin boards acknowledge the carpenters for all to see
Last but certainly not least, we hired two new staff members for 2007!
Aline Murangira joined as the Project Manager of the Schools Program, and Philbert Ntirenganya, joined as an HIV Prevention and Stigma Reduction Trainer. Suleiman has a scholarship to University, so we are very excited for him, and for us to meet new folks. Luckily, Rose Tuyishime remains on the team to help orient our newcomers! And, now that we are finally getting around to publishing this e-letter, Sulemani is currently coordinating and training for a short-term Theatre competition for 30 Schools in the PSI Healthy Schools Initiative on HIV/AIDS and Sexual and Reproductive Health.
Theatre Competitions for PSI/RWANDA
Project Title: Strengthening the skills of secondary school Anti-Aids-Clubs to use theatre to promote healthy behaviors and fight against stigma and discrimination of young people living with HIV/AIDS
Executive Summary:
BACKGROUND:
In 2005 and 2006, PSI/Rwanda trained leaders and members of school anti-aids-clubs in HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health knowledge, peer education and life skills. A special program targeting parents was also developed and parents were as well trained in HIV/AIDS, SHR and interpersonal communication skills in order to enable them to improve open communication with their children about HIV/AIDS and sexuality. In 2006, PSI/Rwanda identified as an urgent need to equip the Anti-Aids-Clubs with more interactive communication skills enabling them to create more easily a dialogue with their peers and influence their behavior. Forum Theatre has always been a powerful tool to engage and influence people, both in Rwandan and elsewhere. PSI/Rwanda hence wished to strengthen the capacity of the Anti-Aids-Clubs to use different theatre techniques (in particular Forum Theatre) and activities in their daily HIV/AIDS prevention activities, and the idea of training the clubs in theatre techniques and conducting a theatre competition in the target schools arose.
Between June and October 2007, Rwandans and Americans in Partnership implemented a theatre training and competition in PSI’s 30 secondary schools in six
Summary of RAP Accomplishments on the Project:
- Trained 90 leaders and 30 teachers of Anti-AIDS clubs at 30 secondary schools in basic theatre techniques in order to enhance their capacity to produce high quality theatre (2 leaders and 1 teachers trained per club)
- Organized a Theatre Competitions with Anti-Aids-Clubs in 30 secondary schools, reaching at least 9000 students with preventive messages
- PLWHA were supported and involved in important public activities (Interviews and testimonies with PLWHA) as a strategy to reduce stigma and discrimination of young students living with HIV/AIDS. The Home Based Care activities for the project made a deep impact on PLWHA, the students and the communities. Each of the 6 winning schools clubs went to visit at least one home.
- Organized a special final ceremony for the 6 schools to compete in front of hundreds of youth, professional judges from the CNLS, PSI, TRAC, RAP, and private theatre professionals, and the CDC, US Embassy, the Executive Secretary of the CNLS, and the Ministers of Youth and Education
- Created a booklet with the 6 best theatre pieces from the competition on HIV/AIDS & SRH
- Created an MVU film of the best theatre pieces from the competition.
Global Fund Scaling up Prevention in a time of Treatment Project: Nyanza District
Zone couverte
District : NYANZA
Secteurs : Busasamana, Nyagisozi, Kigoma, Mukingo et Rwabicuma
Province : SUD
1) Activités prévues vs Activités réalises
Sur la période
| Libelle Activités | Prévues | Réalisées | Budget Prévu | Budget consomme | Observation éventuelle |
| Training of association members in participatory life skills based HIV/AIDS Education | 75 | 75 | 2.633.603 | 3 484 970 | |
| Training of vul nerable( OVC caretakers) older OVC | 27 | 27 | 583 620 | 876 745 | |
| Training of the community organization, local leaders, community members and ovc… | 10 | 10 | 1.737.370 | 479 845 | |
| Establish catch up center | 35 | 35 | 1 216 230 | 472200 | |
| Community sensitization in 2 sectors | 4 SECTORS | | 34 790 | 916 000 | |
| Training of community committees and child protection networks in monitoring tools, data collection.. | 25 | 25 | 1 737 370 | 384.690 | |
| Training of mentors pour la mise en place de catch up centers | 250 | 245 | 2.431 395 | 1401170 | |
| Start up capital | 90 | 90 | 2 214 526 | 2 450 000 | |
| Total | 515 | 507 | 12 588 904 | 10 465 620 | |
Summary of Achievements 2006
- Expansion of Schools Program: In 2006, RAPSIDA expanded its schools program in the the EAST and KIGALI-Town, to work with 6 schools and their local associations of people living with HIV/AIDS for the entire school year. The program created an emotional HIV-Prevention culture at High Schools—motivated by monthly inter-school competitions in theatre, peer education, and unique outreach techniques—and integrated People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in ways that benefitted them psychologically and financially (such as serving food made by the PLWHA at the performances, or buying costumes and prizes made by the PLWHA). The schools and associations of PLWHA collaborated and interacted to make the program as effective as possible.
May 2006: Click for more info on: Groundbreaking Hotel and Restaurant Program in Nyagatare
June 2006: RAPSIDA Students Make Big Impact at Homes of People Living with HIV!
August 16, 2005 PRESS RELEASE: RAPSIDA Announces the Second HIV/AIDS Awareness Week in Nyagatare, August 18-25, 2006
Having already completed one HIV/AIDS Awareness Week in June 2006 in the Hotels, Restaurants, and Bars of Nyagatare, RAPSIDA is proud to announce that the second Badge of Hope HIV/AIDS Awareness week in Nyagatare will begin Friday August 18 and run through Friday August 25.
The second awareness week includes:
The Badges of Hope (badges with the HIV/AIDS red-ribbon and the colors of the Rwandan flag, which will be worn by all workers at the participating Hotels, Restaurants, and Bars, and which will spark conversations between people about HIV/AIDS),
Peer Education Outreach Competitions at Restaurants between the various restaurants and hotels, judged by RAPSIDA Trainers (the competitions take place throughout the week, and the winners are announced at final ceremony, Aug 25).
A Musical Theatre Play A one-hour play created by 13 Student Actors trained by RAPSIDA Trainers Suleman Muhirwe and Rose Tuyishime as well as theatre and film artists from the United States, David Myers and Oona Flaherty. The play will be performed on Friday the 18th at 3pm and Saturday the 19th at 7pm at the ESI Nursing School, Nyagatare, and on Sunday at
Multimedia Presentations in the Restaurants Using RAPSIDA movies and radio dramas, as well as films from the Scenarios from Africa contest
Short Plays at the Restaurants Performed by RAPSIDA Trainers and visiting artists along with the Peer Education Competitions
Volunteering Visits to help People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA)
Testimonies, Performances, and Educational Involvement of PLWHA
Financial Support to PLWHA through Power Purchases of Items from PLWHA that are useful to the program, like Food, Prizes and Costumes
Opening Ceremony at 3pm Friday the 18th (includes presentation of musical theatre)
Closing Ceremony at 3pm Friday the 25th (Small Badge of Hope required for Entrance – may be purchased at the door)
For More information, Contact RAPSIDA Program Director, Jesse Hawkes at 08755328
June 20, 2006
Nyagatare Awareness Week is a Big Success
I recently returned from a visit to Nyagatare, where our hotel, restaurant, and bar workers (and that includes Milk-Bar workers) were competing to see which establishment can best educate its worker base, and even its clients and the public, during an HIV/AIDS Awareness week sponsored by RAPSIDA.
The workers did a phenomenal job, and the feeling in the town is one of seriousness, commitment and even joy, as people work together to discuss HIV/AIDS, why it spreads, and how to stop it and the ugly stigma attached to HIV/AIDS.
Some of my/our favorite moments of the HIV Awareness week:
- The workers and owners at Horizon Pub created a short play about HIV Prevention and Destigmatisation and performed it together on Sunday afternoon, immediately after the first half of a popular World Cup football/soccer match. About twenty men had been watching the match on the television at the pub when the play began. The short play was followed by a Peer Education game, a condom demonstration, and a discussion with members of two local associations of People Living with HIV/AIDS. One of the PLWHA, Igidia, encouraged those people who want to get tested to talk to her, because her association can give their names to the health center and then they can get tested for free, thanks to a grant the association gets from CARE International. Several people gave their names! It was inspiring.
- Our Executive Director, Eric Rwabuhihi, saw the peer education competition at Seeds Of Hope Restaurant. Eric reported that the competition went very well. The restaurant is run by the Episcopal church, so the workers feared discussing condoms, but the RAPSIDA instructor Peter Munyarukiko stepped in to talk about how important it would be to discuss them. Then, the director and manager of the restaurant supported Peter and said “Why are you workers scared to talk about condoms? We need to talk about them, just like we need to talk about HIV in general.” The People Living with HIV who were in the room concurred, saying, “Yes, talking about all of this is so important because if we had been talking about it 10 years ago, we would not be HIV+ today.”
- On Friday Morning, before the end of week ceremony/lunch, we visited the home of a woman named Denise who is HIV+ and who is suffering due to her overdue child (she is 10 months pregnant), and also due to lack of strength, food, etc. She is on medications to protect her child from the virus, but in a lot of pain because the child is in a bad position. We visited her originally to do some chores around her house and to give the restaurant worker who had volunteered to accompany us, Osman, a chance to learn more about PLWHA. However, finding her in a worsening condition, we scrambled to get a minibus to take her to the hospital, and promised to pay for her food while she is at the hospital (her insurance will supposedly cover all the rest of the costs); and we said we would be sending people to visit her this week. At the end of week ceremony/lunch, Osman reported about these events to the entire crowd, and Denise's husband was there to verify that she was now in the hospital and he thanked us for helping her.
- At the final ceremony/lunch, the food was excellent. The conversation was great. The workers testified about how much they liked the program. Job, from Amizero, said that many people were surprised to see the workers participating in this program. He said he saw a lot of good emotions that week. He noted that they had sold 2 badges that week. (and other restaurants had sold some as well). One young woman, Agnes, from a nearby town in the District said that she had been inspired so much that she had asked Peter to train her and give her some materials. She was wearing her badge and said that this badge gave her a lot of confidence and hope and she is very glad to wear it as she goes back to her community. My speech at the end went something like this: "HIV/AIDS is a very complicated issue, becuase to fight against the disease you have to both warn against it, and accept it and those people who have the disease. You need to show that it is dangerous, but you also need to see the hope in those people who have it, and see their capabilities and rights as human beings."
- The leader of the National Youth Council at the District level, named Claude, gave an impassioned speech about the future: "The pin is a good way to do peer education. You must keep wearing them in the restaurants. At the beginning of this program, there were people who were not willing to wear it, but now, you all have shown commitment. And you should keep it up. Workers and bosses must work together. Bosses you should consider your workers just as you would your own children. Care for them."
- The Director of Education said that he would love to see if they can make it a requirement/law to wear the badges in the restaurants. He had obviously been inspired by seeing them there for the past week, even the past month and a half. But I did not like the sound of a law being enforced for constant badge wearing in the restaurants. I wanted to see if people would now be willing to wear them on their own inclination. So, I responded by saying "The most important thing is not that people wear the badge, but that they wear it with passion and understanding. Those people who are inspired to wear the badges with passion and understanding (and who are ready to share their passion and knowledge with others) should now wear them as often as they want. Not everyone wants to have the badge on everyday; not everyone has to be talking about HIV/AIDS 100% of their time. But if you feel you want to do it, do it! By all means! In August, we can have another HIV/AIDS Awareness week and we will motivate all workers to wear them together again and do more Peer Education. Everyone here at the final ceremony is wearing a badge, and each has been trained to understand what they mean. Go forth and use them in the fight against HIV and Discrimination. "
- The next day, after the week had officially ended, most workers were still wearing their pins. And the posters were still up, or placed in strategic positions, like at the reception of the Blue Sky hotel where they made out the receipt for our lodging.
The initial conclusion is that this program is working wonders, sparking emotional dialogue about the important issue of HIV/AIDS among people in high-risk groups.
-----------------------------------------------
March 31, 2006
School Competitions, Round 2
All over central Rwanda, it was raining. Low-lying, misty clouds covered the hills of Kigali and surrounds. Mud caked the roads, as well as all tires, shoes, and bare-feet that dared tread outside the home.
Generally speaking, rain is good news anytime in Rwanda, but it always comes with delays, and on that day in mid-March, the rain and the mud delayed the delivery of the lunch from the Strive Foundation of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) to Alliance High School, which is situated half-way up a mountain.
For an hour and a half, the students, school officials, and the Executive Secretary of the sector awaited not only the food, but also the PLWHA, who would be sitting at the table as well, sharing in the special meal and participating in conversations related to HIV and AIDS in Rwanda. All this was scheduled to happen in advance of that afternoon’s theatre and peer education performance by Alliance’s anti-SIDA club, to be attended by all of the above as well.
Alliance would be the first school to compete in the second round of competition in RAPSIDA’s 2006 Secondary School HIV-Prevention and Destigmatization League. The first round had taken place in February at the schools themselves, in front of students mainly, but now the clubs would be bringing their plays and peer education exercises into their communities.
Alliance planned to perform down the hill from the school at Nyacyonga, a small yet bustling trading center near the Kabuye sugar factory which lies along the main route between Kigali and the principle Ugandan/Rwandan border crossing, Gatuna. A small haven for truckers and the migrant workers of the sugar factory, Nyacyonga was a perfect place to spread a message about HIV Prevention.
With the rain continuing, however, the audience members would be few, so the performance was delayed indefinitely and the meal, despite arriving late in a mud splattered minibus, received adequate time for good eating and conversations.
The topic of conversation at the meal: What are the teachers doing for HIV Prevention at the school? The conclusion, given by both the students and the teachers/administrators: the teachers are doing little. The schools are officially required by the Ministry of Education to integrate HIV Education into their teaching, but an excess of other pressures on the teachers and a lack of motivation and accountability means that the school relies almost 100% on the student clubs, and outside groups such as RAPSIDA, to sensitize their students.
Luckily, Alliance’s club, like all of the 6 school clubs in RAPSIDA’s League, had been doing a great job thus far. Alliance had taken second prize in the theatre category in the first competition, and the word on the washed-out street was that Alliance would undoubtedly take first prize in theatre this time, and also grab at least third prize in peer education.
Following the meal, the students went down the mountain to set-up their performance at a local community market perched on the hillside just above Nyacyonga.
The open air market seemed a perfect place for the play, as there were no stalls set up and there was a small open courtyard visible from multiple levels, both below and above. Clay-tiled roofs with no walls would provide protection from the rain for the audience, if not for the actors in the courtyard, but this was assuming that they could get an audience. If only the rain would stop for a moment to allow them to tell the community that a play was happening there.
Luckily, as the youth congregated in the market courtyard, the rain turned to a drizzle and then stopped. Even the clouds began to part.
But it was 4 o’clock. They had exactly 2 hours until sunset, and at least two hours of material to present. So they had to start immediately.
The initial audience consisted of about 50 people, both students who had followed the youth down the hill, as well as community members, including the Strive Foundation members and the Executive Secretary. To start, the Ex. Sec. took the honors and opened the presentation by picking the name of the next Ikimenyetso Kibyiringiro (Badge of Hope) wearer.
The badge of hope committee then explained to the audience what their program was all about at the school, and said that maybe sometime in the future it will be possible to do the program in the community at some level. The audience members liked the idea.
Following the Ikimenyetso committee’s presentation, the play began with gusto. The talented actors and actresses, singers and dancers of the anti-SIDA club entered and told their story of a young woman and a young man who are attracted to each other and who are curious about sex. But their friend, Umwari, advises them to try to find some other outlet for their desire to have all-out sex. Umwari even shows them that she has a boyfriend, and that Umwari and her boyfriend abstain from sex. Umwari’s boyfriend even sings her a song to tell her how much he loves her, even though she doesn’t want sex. Still, the two principal characters refuse Umwari’s advice, and it is up to the Master of Ceremonies, Anita, to convince the audience to try to persuade the couple to either abstain or use a condom.
During the first half of the play, audience members had started to stream-in from all corners of the community. They were now about 300 strong, surrounding the actors on all sides of the courtyard. Dramatically, MC Anita posed questions of audience members both in front of her, to her side sloping down a staircase, and up above on a ten foot cliff, where 30 people were lined up, peering down at the play.
Still, despite Anita’s initial urging, the audience members were reluctant to physically come on stage to try to give good advice. For a moment, it seemed that Anita might give up.
But she didn’t. Anita’s will was unstoppable. She turned on her charm and locked eyes with a thirty-something woman on the back side of the stage—just beside the pretend doctor’s office—and she didn’t give up until the woman had consented, with a smile, to come on stage in front of the large crowd.
As the woman took the stage and approached the principle actors, Anita started clapping for her, and surprisingly the audience too roared with clapping and cheers. Expressions of extreme passion and joy are rare among Rwandan audiences, except at football matches and in church. Perhaps this is why the audience members themselves seemed surprised with their moment of exuberance—and then screamed even louder.
When the forum theatre moment began momentarily, however, the audience immediately hushed in order to hear the good advice that the woman gave to the couple. The woman told them that there were other ways to express love, and that they should only have sex if they are committed to using a condom.
The couple considered her remarks, but then ultimately refused.
Nevertheless, Anita congratulated the woman and told her not to lose faith, saying that her words would still reach other people in the community no doubt. Anita pointed out to her that the audience was with her, even if the actors were not.
After a round of applause, Anita then invited another audience member to try. This time, there was no shortage of hands from community members. Like the first, however, each new community member lost the battle with the adamant lovers, and Anita gave each the same encouragement despite the loss.
In addition, for their good efforts, Anita and RAP trainer Rose Tuyishime rewarded the three participants with small HIV/AIDS solidarity badges and bags of home-made soaps—which had been produced by local associations of PLWHA, including the Strive Foundation, whose members were still present.
Following this gift giving, Anita asked the audience if they wanted to see what would eventually happen to the couple in the play. The audience roared “Yego!” (yes) and the play continued.
During the second half, the audiences’ eyes remained glued to the stage as the young couple got tested for HIV, found out that they were HIV positive, and lamented their actions. Even though their friends tried to console them, telling them that there are medications available for people with HIV, the couple said that they know life will be difficult for them now and they encouraged others to try to avoid making similar mistakes. Above all, the couple asked the audience to listen to the good advice of their peers, some of whom had shown their ability to advise others during the play.
The story included much humor and even terrific insights and metaphors. According to Umwari, life was like an egg, which, when dropped, can be very difficult to salvage. This metaphor was accompanied by an actual egg, which Umwari dropped on the red-brick ground to illustrate the point.
Overall, the play’s message was delivered with great creativity, clarity, and sensitivity, including a passionate poem about protecting oneself. The RAP judges smiled and nodded their heads approvingly, knowingly. Even though Alliance was the first school to compete in the second round of competitions, it would be hard to beat.
However, the play had run a little bit long at the end, and the sun began to fall behind the hill. There would be less time now for peer education, and as Alliance was chasing that prize as well, they shortened the discussion about the play and the Peer education committee entered to perform one game about abstaining and condom usage, a condom demo, and one game about high, low, and no-risk behaviors.
The fact that these exercises were rushed slightly did not decrease their overall effect. After all, the audience stayed until it was nearly too dark to see, perhaps spurred on by the possibility of winning some nice soap, but nevertheless engaged by the games all the while. Alliance had done a respectable job on peer education, in addition to their superb theatrical presentation.
Three weeks later, however, after the results were in, Alliance would lament the timing of their play, since they actually placed last in Peer Education, receiving no prize in that category.
We at RAPSIDA hoped that Alliance would see beyond their longing for fame, and view their placement as a testament to the high quality of all of the groups, and that they would be happy knowing that all of their peers had improved since the first round. Everyone was working at near-professional standards, and they all should be proud that they were making a difference at their schools and in their communities.
We knew, however, that taking last place in Peer Education would be difficult for Alliance, regardless of all the positive signs.
We also knew that the disappointment related to taking last place in Peer Education would be nothing compared to the pain of taking second place in theatre, yet again.
Even with such a stellar play, Alliance scored 3 points behind ASPESKA Karenge, whose dramatic presentation one week later in a football field near the Karenge community market, under scorching sun, crowned them the champs of both Peer Ed and Theatre.
It would perhaps take all of Alliance’s might to hold back the groans and moans acquainted with taking second prize to Karenge yet again, and trainer Rose feared mounting the hill to give them the results.
Nevertheless, Rose would bring them sodas and treats, and on that fateful day she hoped that the gifts would ease their competitive hearts and that serviettes/napkins would dry their eyes, allowing them to see their own greatness, and that of their peers.
Rose would tell them that they should thank their lucky stars for their good fortune! They had just barely beaten the other four schools, Kabuga H.S., APEBU Nyamata, APAGIE Musha, and Nyamata H.S., whose theatre scores clipped the heels of both Alliance and ASPESKA, illustrating the greatness of all six clubs.
In the end, however, the thing that ultimately persuaded the disappointed Alliance students to strengthen their hearts and re-focus their energies was the presence of the openly HIV+ Strive Foundation members at the follow-up meeting. Rose had invited them to the meeting so that they could immediately discuss the next round of competition, during which the students were to write a play about stigma and how people live with HIV, based not on assumptions, but on interviews with real people, conducted during home visits, in their communities. Rose had invited the Strive members to help schedule the visits and also to start the conversation.
Hence, after discussing the results of Round 2 and then trying, unsuccessfully, to motivate smiles on the students’ long faces, Rose turned the attention to Round 3 and began a conversation between the students and the Strive Foundation members about stigma, discrimination, and how people live with HIV/AIDS.
The Strive Foundation members took charge of the conversation, and the students forgot about their quest for glory. They were now otherwise engaged—learning and dialoguing about the lives of their openly HIV+ visitors. The students nodded their heads with contentment when they learned how the Strive Foundation members receive their ARV medications. They shook their heads back-and-forth, or bowed them briefly, when they learned how, sometimes, the Strive Foundation children are stigmatized by their peers at school, and their parents feel helpless when they come home and complain.
Round 3 of competition had begun, and unconsciously the students were already succeeding. The more sincerely connected the students became to the association of people who live with HIV, the better their play would ultimately be. Together with the association, they would rise even higher.
Summary of Achievements 2003 – 2005
- RAP Contre Le SIDA Conferences (May 2003, Jan 2004):
Ø Training of over 200 different teachers and students from Kigali-Ngali and Kigali in various methods of counteracting HIV/AIDS, including music, theatre, literature, care/support, focus on Gender and HIV/AIDS, May ’03, Jan. ‘04
Ø Distribution of 400 copies of Stronger than the Storm and accompanying curriculum ideas to schools in Kigali-Ngali, May ‘03
Ø Networking of over 30 anti-SIDA clubs in Kigali-Ngali, May ’03, Jan ‘04
Ø Refinement of a Short Play with APRED-NDERA anti-SIDA club meant to counteract Stigma in their community, January 2004
Ø Produced free anti-AIDS concert by Jean Paul Samputu for general public in Kabuga, January 2004
Ø Development of an effective Candlelight Ceremony for Destigmatization, ’03-‘04
- 6 Month Pilot Project with APRED Ndera and the Girimpuhwe Assocation of PLWHA (April-Sept 2004), including:
Ø Training of APRED-NDERA secondary school Anti-SIDA club members in theatre skills and community development work against HIV/AIDS
Ø Creation of 6 Hour Serial Theatre Musical Called Kunda Ubuzima presented in parts over the course of 3 months July-Sept. 2004, to audiences averaging approx. 250 students per performance. Including testimonies from PLWHA.
Ø Presentation of Kunda Ubuzima at Kigali Institute of Education (KIE)
Ø Collaboration with Girimpuwhe Association in
Ø Recording of Songs from Kunda Ubuzima
· Presented RAPSIDA’s Pilot Project at the 4th International Educational Entertainment Conference,
- Training of Youth in Musical Theatre for VSO at VSO’s Student Workshop (Oct 2004)
- Official Presenter of Music and Drama at World AIDS Day 2004 National Ceremony, Nyagatare RAP’s high school theatre group performed a short play with songs about Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT). (Dec 1st 2004)
- 6 Months of Youth HIV Prevention Theatre Trainings for
- Monitoring, Evaluation and Strengthening of the RAP/CARE Program in Gitarama and Umutara (October 2005)
- Created 10 Minute Film “Ingabire” for the 1st Rwandan Film Festival, using student actors. FilmAID International now uses “Ingabire” educating Refugees in
- Ran the Scenarios from Africa Contest in
· Produced Two-Hour Musical Radio Drama for MINEDUC called “Ishuri Ryacu” (Aug 2005) Ishuri Ryacu broke new ground in Rwandan educational entertainment because it incorporated musical theatre into what is traditionally a dialogue-only medium here. For example, the opening song, “Umunsi Mushya, Gutangira Kwiza” or “It’s a New Day, A Fresh Start,” established the energy of the first day at school and showed Antoinette’s arrival at the school—she literally sings about her arrival at school. Later, Antoinette sings the ironically-entitled “Kwihangana” (Patience) as she thinks about whether she should have sex with her teacher. At the end of the song, she has convinced herself to accept his offer:
“He’s really not that old,
And from what I’ve been told,
Other girls do it,
And they seem fine.”
As noted before, Antoinette learns that she is not fine after having sex with her teacher, and she regrets having made the decision to go with him.
- Trained Girimpuhwe Association to Produce Marvelous HIV/AIDS Solidarity Pins, which were worn at the Dec 1st (Nov 25) Presidential World AIDS Day Ceremony 2005
- RAPSIDA trains Club anti-SIDA PJLS Members, in partnership with VSO at Nyarurema, and at Nyagatare for World AIDS Day 2005 Presentation.
- Forum and Musical Theatre on World AIDS Day 2005 at the Umutara Provincial Ceremonies with Club PJLS Members
<< Home