Activists spread word about AIDS in street cafes<\/p>\n
By Stevie Emilia<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Teenagers are always eager to learn new things,
\nwhich is vital for their personal and intellectual development.
\nBut without proper information, they could become a victim of
\ntheir own curiosity.<\/p>\n
That's why teenagers, and adults under 30 years of age were
\nthe main target of Yayasan Pelita Ilmu (Pelita Ilmu Foundation),
\nwhich works on AIDS, in its latest campaign held at street cafes
\nalong Jl. Tirtayasa in South Jakarta last Friday.<\/p>\n
Smiling and giggling teenagers greeted volunteers, who not
\nonly distributed brochures and leaflets on HIV\/AIDS but also
\ncarried condoms, hidden in their pockets.<\/p>\n
\"What does a condom look like?\" whispered young Mira, who was
\nsitting with her girlfriends, to a volunteer. She was blushing
\nand her friends were laughing at her.<\/p>\n
The volunteer did not directly answer her request but instead
\nquestioned the teenagers about what they knew about Acquired
\nImmune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Human Immunodeficiency
\nVirus (HIV), and where they got their information about HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n
\"I only show condoms to grown-ups,\" said Ipur, a volunteer,
\nafter finishing the session.<\/p>\n
The campaign was clearly being cautious, given the controversy
\nhere over the promotion of condoms in campaigns to prevent HIV
\nand AIDS.<\/p>\n
Some of the people receptive to the campaign raised serious
\nquestions.<\/p>\n
\"Can I get HIV if I have my tooth drilled? I'm afraid the
\ndentist does not sterilize the drill after using it on another
\npatient,\" said Anik, a 21-year-old woman.<\/p>\n
\"I know that people can be infected by HIV through blood, and
\nsometimes when the dentist drills my tooth, it's bleeding,\" she
\nadded. \"And how do I know that the dentist has really sterilized
\nthe drill?\"<\/p>\n
\"And is it true that one can get HIV from mosquitoes bites?\"
\nshe also asked.<\/p>\n
The foundation's doctor, Bambang Sutrisno, who was present
\nduring the campaign, said that, for their own safety, every
\npatient has the right to question their doctor.<\/p>\n
\"If you have any doubts, just ask. It's your right. I believe
\nthat all doctors will tell the truth because they have ethical
\ncodes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"And one cannot get HIV through mosquito bites,\" Bambang
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Another cafegoer bluntly said that \"HIV is like a death
\nsentence\" when asked what he knew about the virus which could
\nlead to AIDS.<\/p>\n
The man, who said he learned about HIV mostly from television
\nand magazines, then eagerly asked a volunteer how a person can be
\ninfected by HIV.<\/p>\n
Bambang explained one could be infected through sexual
\nintercourse, unsterilized needles and blood transfusions. An
\ninfant could get it from its mother if she had the virus.<\/p>\n
\"The aim of our campaign is to raise people's awareness on the
\ndangers of HIV\/AIDS. Many people, even those who have a higher
\neducation level, are still unaware on the need to prevent
\nHIV\/AIDS,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Despite the foundation's good intentions, not all the
\ncafegoers welcomed the campaign.<\/p>\n
\"The campaign is good, but don't you think it is too serious
\nto burdens us?\" said a woman who came with her children.<\/p>\n
\"We come here to relax, not to think seriously ... I haven't
\neven ordered food yet,\" she added.<\/p>\n
Cafe Godean's owner, Wati, welcomed the foundation's campaign
\nin her cafe, which is mostly visited by teenagers.<\/p>\n
\"The campaign is a good initiative, I don't mind having them
\nin my cafe because it's important to make people aware and be
\ncareful of HIV\/AIDS,\" said Wati, a mother of three.<\/p>\n
The foundation's program manager, Hussein Habsyi, said the
\ncampaign was conducted in street cafes because they were visited
\nfrequently by teenagers and those under 30.<\/p>\n
\"They are our main target because 50 percent of those infected
\nby HIV are under 29 years old,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to the Ministry of Health, there was a total of 702
\ncases of HIV\/AIDS up to June, with 509 being HIV positive and 193
\nwith AIDS.<\/p>\n
Out of 702, 369 were under 29 years old, including three
\nchildren under one.<\/p>\n
It is believed, however, that the real numbers are much higher
\nthan the official figures.<\/p>\n
\"Another aim of the campaign is to make people willing to
\naccept others who are HIV positive or have AIDS in their
\nneighborhood instead of rejecting them,\" Hussein said.<\/p>\n
Attractive<\/p>\n
The campaign, Music on AIDS Awareness on the Streets, was
\nconducted in cooperation with Ikapari Country Music and Bahana FM
\nradio.<\/p>\n
To attract youngsters, the foundation used music, as it has
\nseveral times in the past.<\/p>\n
\"While the cafegoers are enjoying the music, four volunteers
\nwill mingle for about 10 minutes to directly disseminate
\ninformation on HIV and AIDS,\" Hussein said.<\/p>\n
Many of the cafe owners have responded positively. \"Some have
\neven asked us to do it frequently,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The campaign, the fifth conducted by the foundation this year,
\nwas greeted with varying degrees of acceptance.<\/p>\n
Hussein said the least welcomed one was on Valentine's Day,
\nwhere the campaign was seen to spoil most couples intent on
\nenjoying a romantic evening.<\/p>\n
In last week's campaign, eight volunteers asked cafegoers to
\nfill in evaluation forms, in which people could list all they
\nwanted to know about HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n
Most asked about how one could be infected by HIV, the number
\nof AIDS cases, which city had the most cases, people vulnerable
\nto HIV, drugs to cure HIV and preventive measures, including
\ncondoms.<\/p>\n
The volunteers found that 60 percent of the people were
\nenthusiastic about the campaigns, 20 percent were indifferent and
\n20 percent politely rejected the campaign.<\/p>\n
\"University students are more responsive. They raise more
\nserious questions ... unlike high school students who tend to
\njoke,\" Hussein said.<\/p>\n
But the evaluation revealed that most of the cafegoers still
\nlack information about HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n
For instance, 90 percent of the cafegoers said that one could
\nget AIDS through mosquitoes bites and 15 percent said that one
\ncould be infected by HIV\/AIDS through food and drinks.<\/p>\n
\"The campaign was effective in disseminating information on
\nHIV and AIDS,\" Hussein said.<\/p>\n
Activist, and campaign volunteer, Baby Jim Aditya said that
\nmore programs should be conducted soon.<\/p>\n
\"These days, we're facing an economic crisis where people
\nthink more about staple foods. But it doesn't mean they can
\nforget the dangers of HIV and AIDS.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/activists-spread-word-about-aids-in-street-cafes-1447893297",
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