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the ways one gets infected.
They have learning material on the subject in print, on catchy pamphlets and even on videos.
They also have drama groups visiting schools.
The schools too have drama groups enacting the HIV story.
The many acts unfortunately show the infected having been of loose morals, visiting pubs and smoking dagga and abusing other dangerous substances, which is unfortunate.
In some instances, morally correct and upright people get infected which is not brought out in the many dramas that entertain the crowds.
With children brought up in the environment where they are enlightened on the dangers of risky behaviour, one is bound to believe that they are better equipped for the present scenario in life than the teens of yester-year.
Shirley is a sweet-eighteen-year-old girl who is sitting the Advanced Level examination in six weeks time.
She says she has heard “all” there is to know about HIV/Aids. She however, said what she was not “told” was that HIV knows no sacred age group.
“I am sitting for my final year after six years in secondary school. I am ready for the examination and this is evident in my mid-year results. I passed all the three subjects I am sitting with a B or better and there can never be a better time than now,” Shirley boasted.
Shirley said she would like to enroll for medical school or any field related as she feels that there is a missing part or a missing link in the way school children are taught about sexuality.
She said for parents to believe that their teenage children are not indulging in sexual activity is wishful thinking that needs to be corrected.
“I have been a blood donor for the past two years, I have enjoyed playing my small part as a responsible citizen by donating blood,” she said.
Shirley said she was however, notified after donating blood during the April school holiday that she must see her doctor or report to a clinic.
“I did not know what that meant and I visited the clinic and told them what had transpired. After telling the nursing sister the purpose of my visit, she asked me if I had ever taken an HIV test and if I was sexually active,” she said.
Shirley said she told the nurse a double no to both questions and that an HIV test was not necessary and she bolted out of the clinic.
“I refused to believe what she had asked me to do. I only had one boyfriend and he was in Upper Six at my school too. We had had occasionally sex but always used protection except on two occasions when we were both under the influence of alcohol. That was after attending a friend’s birthday party,” said Shirley.
Shirley said she could not stop thinking about what the nurse had advised and she secretly visited a voluntary counselling and testing centre in the city.
The nursing sister there was friendly and counselled her prior to taking the test. She had enough time to ask any questions she wanted and had these fully answered.
She said she was at least pleased because the results would not take long as they were now using a rapid HIV testing system.
Shirley like most people who test HIV positive was shattered.
She only had one lover and was not a sugar daddy. She had used protection most of the time except only twice so life was turning out to be unfair, she said.
“To say I cried is an understatement. I wept, why me I asked, I had been a good child why me?” she quizzed.
Shirley said after getting composed, she was counselled again and asked if she was going to disclose to her parents and partner.
She promised to tell her boyfriend and also ask him to take an HIV test. She was not so sure of the wisdom in telling her parents.
“When I phoned my boyfriend to tell him the news he did not sound surprised, in fact he said it was common these days and I could not believe what I was hearing,” she said.
Shirley said her boyfriend refused to visit the VCT and said they have broken up over the issue.
“The least he could have done was to take the HIV test, but he refused. I told him that I had not gone to bed with anyone and he flatly said that was impossible. This means he was fooling around with other girls and he did not give a hoot about it. Its unfortunate, I had to learn the hard way,” she said.
Shirley said she went back to see the same nurse a week later and told her the sad happening. The nurse was more than a counsellor, she told her to concentrate on her education right now, but have a CD4 count done to see where she stood.
“I did not know where to go but was told that public hospitals offer the facilities for a fee. I used part of the pocket money I get to pay for the tests,” she said.
Luckily she still has a sound immune system at a CD 4 count of 1120 so she has not been started on any medication.
Shirley said she wants to tell fellow students that even straying that “once” is dangerous.
“I have not been able to tell my parents, I am the first born in our family and they will be destroyed. I hold the family baton stick and I have to run the race well,” she said.
She has however, confided in her aunt who is an elder sister to her mom and she has promised to keep it in confidence until the time she is ready to disclose.
“My aunt who is a nurse has been my shoulder to lean on. I told her how sorry I was but she told me that there was nothing to be sorry about, at least I had learnt from my mistakes, so she said she would help me monitor my health. Right now I have to focus on passing and I am doing just that,” she added.
The young lady said she wants to be able to pass the message to the youths as someone who got infected during the prime of her life.
She wants to be able to tell them that you can never trust anyone except yourself. She wants to be the bridge that is the missing link in most of today’s youths.
But most of all, she wants to assure any youths who would fall in the same unfortunate trap that “get up and stand”
Shirley said it has not been easy being HIV positive as a teenager. She fears that if her mom is to know then she is finished.
Inspite of all the abundant knowledge that pupils and students get for sexual reproduction and the dangers of early pregnancy, infection with HIV they do not seem to take heed.
Children today are getting sexually active at a tender age. Pupils even in primary school engage in sexual activity which is cause for concern.
The National Aids Council had suggested distributing condoms in schools as a way to curb the spread of HIV.
But could that be the answer, most people debate that schooling is not meant for that. Dishing condoms in schools is like condoning the bad behaviour which needs to be corrected rather than aided.
Could it be that the message is not clear and tailor-made for the intended audience when it comes to sexual issues and HIV? Shirley feels so and is now on a mission to correct that.
Online Reporter