Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU) and the Uganda National Musicians Association (UNMF) have teamed up to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS to the public.
Dubbed “iKnowKati” campaign, the project is aimed at preaching the HIV/AIDS awareness among young people in Uganda.
The partnership launched Tuesday December 3, 2024 at A’lure Suites, saw attendees engage in a range of activities which included free HIV testing, condom distribution, door-to-door health talks, counseling among others.
While speaking at the campaign launch, Mr. Benson Muhindo, RAHU Acting Country Director noted that working on such a project with the artists is a better and effective way to eliminating HIV in Uganda by 2030 since they command huge audiences and are widely believed by the masses.
“We are working with these musicians because we believe they have a platform that we don’t have. They have a large following of young people who admire them and want to emulate them. When we take them to the communities where young people are, they can interact with them, share their experiences, and raise awareness about HIV, hence the closer we draw ourselves to achieving the ultimate goal of reducing new HIV/AIDS infections with this awareness campaign.
Muhindo highlighted that during the event, many artists and influential individuals openly spoke about living with the virus, emphasizing that such gestures help combat stigma and encourage others to speak out with confidence.
“Today, we have had many artists come out and share their experiences of living with HIV. This helps to combat stigma and encourages others to speak out confidently,” he said.
Muhindo noted that as they work towards ending HIV by 2030, certain factors still fuel its spread, particularly among youths. He highlighted complacency towards messages like condom distribution, with many youths refusing to use them, thinking they are inferior to those available in the market.
“I believe we might not fully achieve the 95-95-95 target by 2025 due to a spike in new infections, especially among young people. These young people are getting complacent with our messages. We put emphasis on condom use, but you find them saying they don’t like the free condoms provided by the government, yet they can’t afford to buy the ones they call comfortable for themselves.”
Muhindo applauded UNMF led by Uganda’s popular singer Eddy Kenzo, accepting to stand up to the call and willingly partnering with RAHU in the awareness campaign and actively participating using their platforms to spread the message.
A one Rev. Canon Gideon Byamugisha, who has lived with HIV for 32 years, stressed the significance of stopping the stigmatization of people living with HIV and instead should preach and ensure such messages for love and support take over. Byamugisha also talked about the need for the young people to adapt to condom use in a bid to protect them against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancies.
The day’s events later on in the night, climaxed with the jam session, a platform artists both upcoming and Uganda’s top singers showcased their talents with messages intended to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. The attendees were also seen performing a candlelight vigil in remembrance of those lost to HIV, followed by fireworks and a song of hope and awareness.
