Tag: HIV

Monday in a Picture – The Mural

by Kirby P., posted in Monday in a Picture, Peace Corps Swaziland, pictures

Some months back, a fellow PCV began planning a commemoration event called Walk The Nation. In 2008, a PCV in eSwatini organized a 200 kilometre walk to bring attention to the high HIV incidence in the country. The commemoration event was designed to look at how far the fight has come, and how much more needs to be done. Several PCVs participated in the commemoration of Walk The Nation by having events in their respective communities. Some volunteers showed documentaries while other marched and had discussions about where we go from here. Some volunteers were given paint to complete mural projects. Luckily, my community was given paint and associated supplies.

At my local high school, I spoke with students about HIV incidence and how far eSwatini has come. When I introduced the mural possibility, several students were excited and began working on concepts and drawings. Last week, our students (and a few recent alumni) completed the mural project. My hope is that as the student body sees this image, they will remember that education can lead them to any and all places.

Be kind to yourself.
Onward.

Monday in a Picture – Mother Bear

by Kirby P., posted in Monday in a Picture, Peace Corps Swaziland, pictures

There are numerous organizations that offer aid to people around Swaziland. Some of these organizations are based here in the kingdom. Some organizations offer financial support while others inkind support and supplies. 

One such organization is The Mother Bear Project. Based in Minnesota, the organization sends hand knit (or crocheted) bears to young children in developing nations affected by HIV. Volunteer knitters are asked to either hand knit or crochet a bear from a given pattern. The knitted bears are a labor of love project seeks to comfort affected children. 

Last week, I completed a distribution of Mother Bears at one of the primary schools in my community. The students were very excited with big smiles as they received the bears. The above picture is a selfie of me with some of the children after receiving the bears. 

Be kind to yourself. 
Onward. 

Ever wonder what is Kirby doing? Follow the blog!

Monday in a Picture – Condoms in the kingdom

by Kirby P., posted in Monday in a Picture, Peace Corps Swaziland, pictures

Swaziland is home to highest HIV prevalence rates in the world. Approximately 26% of 15-49 year olds in Swaziland are living with HIV. This high prevalence was a major factor in the king asking Peace Corps to return to Swaziland in 2003.

While various factors contribute to the high prevalence of HIV, access to condoms has been made easier (and cheaper) to prevent the spread of the virus. Free condoms are available at health clinics and hospitals. Through the “Get It? Got It.” campaign, free condoms are available at merchant shops, restaurants, border posts, and other places. Everyone is free to take however many condoms s/he needs. 

This campaign has presented another issue. Some people don’t trust the free condoms. Some people believe that free condoms (as opposed to condoms paid for by the end user) are not effective at preventing unplanned pregnancy and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Some people have expressed concern that the free condoms are actually coated with and promote the spread of STIs. These beliefs about the free condoms have bore new campaigns aimed at dispelling those beliefs. The result is a number of billboards, like the one pictured, that remind people that STIs and unplanned pregnancy don’t know nor care if the condom was purchased by the end user or not. 

Be kind to yourself. 
Onward. 

Ever wonder what is Kirby doing? Follow the blog!

28

by Kirby P., posted in Peace Corps Swaziland

During a WhatsApp chat last week, a volunteer in my group highly recommended that I read “28: Stories of AIDS in Africa” by Stephanie Nolen. As others in the group talked about the book, those same recommendations were echoed. I had been planning to read it at some point. I figured now was a great time for it.

I’ll start by saying that the book was very worthy of all of the praise and recommendations. Nolen, a Canadian journalist, wrote the book while living in Johannesburg, South Africa as The Globe and Mail’s Africa Bureau Chief. She manages to highlight various political and cultural issues intermingled with the stories of 28 people affected by HIV in Africa. As I progressed through the book, I was very excited because the stories gave me a better understanding of the cultural landscape across sub-Saharan Africa in general, and Swaziland, in particular (two people’s stories were from Swaziland).

There’s the issue of a lack of women’s empowerment. Several stories, including one from Swaziland, were about married women who contracted the virus from their husbands. In many of these stories, the married woman wouldn’t dare ask her husband to use a condom. This remained true even if the wife suspected or knew that her husband had multiple sexual partners. To ask him to use a condom would be considered disrespectful, and she risked being thrown out of the home.

Then, there’s the issue of transactional sex. Some stories prominently featured people who engaged in transactional sex for a myriad of reasons. Lack of money. Lack of food. Lack of transportation. Lack of other employment opportunities. Lack of skills. I have heard stories during my short time here in Swaziland about double orphaned (meaning that both parents are deceased) pubescent girls who are in charge of looking after their younger siblings. Because these girls often lack things like food and money, they become prime targets for transactional sex, and subsequently are at higher risk of contracting HIV.

Reading this book at this time in my life presents a unique perspective. I am a part of the western world’s response to AIDS on the continent. While I know that there are people in DC and around the world living with HIV, it’s much more “in your face” here in Swaziland. A part of the Ministry of Education curriculum includes lessons of HIV awareness, prevention, testing and counselling. Free condoms are distributed around the country as a part of the “Got it? Get it.” campaign. Many NGOs operate in Swaziland with expressed purpose of reducing HIV incidence (new infections). I’m excited to, hopefully, be a part of the solution, and to continue learning.
Be kind to yourself.
Onward.