On April 6, IDEX Program Officer, Kat and Vini visited PWN support group members and got a sense of life in the townships of Johannesburg.
40 minutes away, we visit another township called Kwathema. There are currently 60 support group members in Kwathema and we’re meeting the Outreach Coordinator, Gladys Nikelo. Gladys has been part of Positive Women's Network (PWN) since 2003. When we arrived, Gladys was organizing a discussion form with the church youth group of Kwathema to start the conversation on the current HIV reality among youth in the townships. There were about 20 young men and women between the ages of 15 and 21.
Encouraged by the lively conversation and interest the youth were showing about HIV/AIDS, Prudence started facilitating the conversation to focus on what relationships are like among youth today and what they thought about it. Conversations went from "What do you think about guys having multiple girlfriends?" to "What do you think about the families having children on purpose to get social grants?" (Parents who have children are eligible to get a social grant for each child until they turn 18) or "How much did they know about HIV and are they aware enough to know how to prevent themselves from getting it?"
The youth all jumped to share their opinions and one young woman even asked if a female condom existed. It just so happened that Prudence had a sample in her bag and gave the youth group an impromptu workshop on how to use it. It was amazing to see Prudence clearly instructing the youth step-by-step how to use the female condom.
After the youth group left, I had a chance to talk to Gladys, as well as Kate, the Outreach Coordinator from Tsakane to see how their lives has improved since being part of PWN.
Gladys is 25 years old and she found out she was HIV-positive when she was 15. She tried to find a support system but was unsuccessful. When she was 19, she saw Prudence on a television show. Gladys and was amazed how confident Prudence was even though she was HIV-positive. Gladys went on a mission to find Prudence and when she did, immediately became a support group member of PWN. In 2008, after seeing her active participation, Prudence asked Gladys to become an Outreach Coordinator.
I asked Gladys what she thought of PWN and she responded, "Because of PWN, I'm a strong person and with my strength I hope to lead other women who are HIV-positive to be strong as well."
We first went to the township of Wattville to meet with one of the groups supported by Positive Women's Network (PWN), located an hour away from downtown Johannesburg. Wattville is home to approx 100 to 150 families. The support group has 57 members. Prudence Mabele, PWN's Director, grew up in Wattville and her grandmother, sister and many other family members still live there. As we entered the township, Prudence showed us the school that she went to and the corner where she used to sell vegetables to the community.
Right now, the main challenge that people face in the townships is unemployment. Many families have had to depend on social grants provided by the government, but these barely cover rent and food.
Monique, a support group member of Wattville since 2002, shared with us how difficult it has been to find a job. She joined the support group to be part of a women's group in her township. A year later she tested with HIV-positive, during her pregnancy with her fourth daughter. Pregnancy is a common way for women to find out that they're HIV-positive. Because she was already part of the support group she knew the importance of coming out as an HIV-positive woman. Not hiding that you are HIV-positive is empowering and can raise awareness that it is possible to live positively.
Tombifuthi (more known by her friends as Matigale), provides assistance to Watville's outreach coordinator, and supported Monique, so she was able to tell her family right away. It is very rare for HIV-positive women to share their diagnosis quickly with their family. That Monique was motivated to do this speaks to the great support system PWN has cultivated in the support groups.
Every Thursday, Monique brings her daughters to the support group meetings. She wants them to be aware of HIV, especially since they are young women. And young women living in townships have a high probability of being raped. This is a harsh reality in South Africa, where a woman is raped every 18 seconds.
The main activity of this support group is treatment literacy. HIV-positive women learn how to access treatment and the importance of not dropping the treatment. The group is also attending workshops to learn how to start support groups and how to counsel each other. HIV is unfortunately a part of many lives and deaths occur daily.
40 minutes away, we visit another township called Kwathema. There are currently 60 support group members in Kwathema and we’re meeting the Outreach Coordinator, Gladys Nikelo. Gladys has been part of Positive Women's Network (PWN) since 2003. When we arrived, Gladys was organizing a discussion form with the church youth group of Kwathema to start the conversation on the current HIV reality among youth in the townships. There were about 20 young men and women between the ages of 15 and 21.Encouraged by the lively conversation and interest the youth were showing about HIV/AIDS, Prudence started facilitating the conversation to focus on what relationships are like among youth today and what they thought about it. Conversations went from "What do you think about guys having multiple girlfriends?" to "What do you think about the families having children on purpose to get social grants?" (Parents who have children are eligible to get a social grant for each child until they turn 18) or "How much did they know about HIV and are they aware enough to know how to prevent themselves from getting it?"
The youth all jumped to share their opinions and one young woman even asked if a female condom existed. It just so happened that Prudence had a sample in her bag and gave the youth group an impromptu workshop on how to use it. It was amazing to see Prudence clearly instructing the youth step-by-step how to use the female condom.After the youth group left, I had a chance to talk to Gladys, as well as Kate, the Outreach Coordinator from Tsakane to see how their lives has improved since being part of PWN.
Gladys is 25 years old and she found out she was HIV-positive when she was 15. She tried to find a support system but was unsuccessful. When she was 19, she saw Prudence on a television show. Gladys and was amazed how confident Prudence was even though she was HIV-positive. Gladys went on a mission to find Prudence and when she did, immediately became a support group member of PWN. In 2008, after seeing her active participation, Prudence asked Gladys to become an Outreach Coordinator.
I asked Gladys what she thought of PWN and she responded, "Because of PWN, I'm a strong person and with my strength I hope to lead other women who are HIV-positive to be strong as well."
Labels: HIV/AIDS, PWN, South Africa
On April 6, IDEX Program Officer, Kat and Vini visited PWN support group members and got a sense of life in the townships of Johannesburg.
We first went to the township of Wattville to meet with one of the groups supported by Positive Women's Network (PWN), located an hour away from downtown Johannesburg. Wattville is home to approx 100 to 150 families. The support group has 57 members. Prudence Mabele, PWN's Director, grew up in Wattville and her grandmother, sister and many other family members still live there. As we entered the township, Prudence showed us the school that she went to and the corner where she used to sell vegetables to the community.Right now, the main challenge that people face in the townships is unemployment. Many families have had to depend on social grants provided by the government, but these barely cover rent and food.
Monique, a support group member of Wattville since 2002, shared with us how difficult it has been to find a job. She joined the support group to be part of a women's group in her township. A year later she tested with HIV-positive, during her pregnancy with her fourth daughter. Pregnancy is a common way for women to find out that they're HIV-positive. Because she was already part of the support group she knew the importance of coming out as an HIV-positive woman. Not hiding that you are HIV-positive is empowering and can raise awareness that it is possible to live positively.
Tombifuthi (more known by her friends as Matigale), provides assistance to Watville's outreach coordinator, and supported Monique, so she was able to tell her family right away. It is very rare for HIV-positive women to share their diagnosis quickly with their family. That Monique was motivated to do this speaks to the great support system PWN has cultivated in the support groups.
Every Thursday, Monique brings her daughters to the support group meetings. She wants them to be aware of HIV, especially since they are young women. And young women living in townships have a high probability of being raped. This is a harsh reality in South Africa, where a woman is raped every 18 seconds.The main activity of this support group is treatment literacy. HIV-positive women learn how to access treatment and the importance of not dropping the treatment. The group is also attending workshops to learn how to start support groups and how to counsel each other. HIV is unfortunately a part of many lives and deaths occur daily.
Labels: HIV/AIDS, Prudence Mabele, PWN