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