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HIV/AIDS Orientation Drive 2002
Source: Judith King, HIVAN Media Office
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Students want more insight into HIV/AIDS
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Anyone who has experienced an Orientation Week on a university campus will agree that it is an exciting but intense, and sometimes stressful, few days. Perhaps it would be better to call it "DIS-orientation Week", as one arrives for the first time on campus unlikely to know anyone or where, exactly, to be, much less whether one's finances for the year have been sorted out and one's course arrangements finalised. Having arms full of information sheets, brochures, maps and flyers doesn't always clear the confusion, and merely finding one's feet with practical matters in this new environment becomes the primary goal.
Knowing that this type of sensory overload characterises Orientation Week, the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Student Counselling Service has not, in years past, run HIV/AIDS awareness events during these seven days, electing instead to schedule annual campaigns during the month of May, when students are more settled. However, this year, with funding coming through from SAUVCA (SA University Vice-Chancellor's Association) to support such informative programmes, Student Counselling's Durban Centre offered a three-day series of HIV/AIDS awareness sessions in the Residences. First-year students residing within the campus were identified as being more vulnerable than most to HIV infection, because of their sudden freedom, many being away from home for the first time.
"The sessions took place in the evening on the 18th, 19th and 20th of February," explains Libby Collins, Senior Psychologist at the Centre in charge of the HIV/AIDS portfolio. "The gatherings were addressed by Fezeka Khuzwayo, a Person Living with AIDS and a past UND student now living in Pretoria, who described her own experiences of being HIV-positive. We visited two Residences per evening, six in all. We also screened a video from the 'POSITIVE' series of documentaries profiling South Africans living with HIV/AIDS. The profile we chose featured Musa Njoko, who was born and raised in KwaZulu-Natal." Musa was diagnosed in 1995 and disclosed her status to her family a few months later, whereafter she spoke at churches, community gatherings, schools and finally to the media; she has since disclosed nationally and internationally.
The video screening was followed by a structured, workshop-type forum during which questions were posed to students about their attitudes and beliefs around HIV/AIDS. Breakaway discussions and feedback as well as lengthy interaction with Fezeka were facilitated. The evening sessions were supported by a fixed display in the Residences of A3-sized photos with accompanying profiles, entitled "Living Openly: HIV-positive South Africans tell their stories", developed from the same range as the video production and sponsored as a Beyond Awareness Campaign project of the Department of Health's HIV/AIDS and STD Directorate. Fezeka was also available for private meetings for two hours a day in one of the "staff-in-transit" cottages on campus.
"The sessions were well-attended and lively," says Libby, "and the responses to our evaluation surveys have also been gratifying and the replies very positive. The students loved Fezeka and were very inspired by her."
Students' remarks in completed questionnaires included:
"My attitude has definitely altered since the session."
"I will go for voluntary testing now that I am aware how important it is."
"From now on, I'll take care not to stigmatise anyone I know who is HIV-positive."
Concludes Libby Collins: "It seems clear that this type of awareness event does encourage behaviour change. We've received a clear message from the students that they want more of the same, and we will plan for this."
HIVAN will be working closely with both Student Counselling and Campus Health Services on all campuses to extend and support their efforts, however and wherever possible.
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