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Hi there,
I've recently returned from Zimbabwe where I was fortunate enough to meet two inspiring groups of people whom Oxfam Australia works with - students from Midlands State University in Gweru and sex workers from nearby rural villages.
At the university, our partner SHAPE is empowering students to make more informed choices about sexual behaviour, improve their knowledge on HIV and AIDS prevention and transmission and be more aware about things like female assertiveness and 'positive' masculinity. The program has proven so successful, that the Zimbabwe Government has asked SHAPE to introduce the program in three other universities.
In four small villages outside of Gweru, another partner GWAPA is educating women sex workers in condom use and safer sex, helping them to find alternative livelihoods through small loan schemes, poultry farms and market gardens, and training them to become home-based care providers and peer educators. After years of being ostracised in their communities, the program is helping the women develop a sense of dignity, self-respect and belonging.
The good news is that HIV rates in Zimbabwe are on the decline - down from 24.6% to 20.1% over the past two years. Oxfam Australia and our partners are working to try and ensure this trend continues.
Maureen Bathgate
Editor and Story Resources Coordinator