Overview
The first two DVD’s were completed at the end of July 2006 and in August 2006 two of the trustees Abigail and Jeffrey travelled to Lusaka to initiate the pilot project. These videos can be accessed via our Download Page. After two days of meetings with Kara counselling the grounds for the pilot and terms for the four counsellors to join us were put in place. The trustees left for two days travelling by road to Mfuwe the counsellors following on the next day. This was intended so that the counsellors would have all in place for their arrival, venues, equipment check etc so they could immediately start on the work that they had been employed to do.

Contact had already been made via E mail with Mr Evans Graph, teacher at the local secondary school and whom is also a local government HIV/AIDS advisor. Computers for Zambian Schools recommended us to him with whom he also works.

Evans was keenly awaiting our arrival. There is very little being done in this area as it so remote but yet it is home to 45000 people. He had arranged venues at his school remote villages and with the Chiefs permission, which we were later to obtain, the market square.

During the five days we were operational in Mfuwe we showed the DVD’s to approximately 1000 to 1500 people. From larger audiences in the market square down to small groups in villages. The reaction was overwhelming. It opened up dialogue in previously undisscused subjects. The counsellors were also extremely pleased with the openness of the questions they were being asked as a result of people watching the DVD’s. One of the counsellors Vincent is also a positive speaker, himself living with HIV. The reaction upon him speaking was tangible. Stigmatisation remains a huge problem in these remote areas, nobody will admit to having the disease or knowing anyone who has had it or died of it. So, for Vincent to stand in front of these people and admit he is living with HIV was something none of them had ever witnessed.

The counsellors went onto Voluntary Counsel and Test those who wished. This however posed somewhat of a problem due to stigmatisation. People were asking where they could go so none would see them about to be tested, so we resorted to hiding the counsellors in a room at the back of a local rest house. They tested approximately 80 people during their stay. We were limited due to the time involved in counselling before and after. However it is a start.

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