Delay anything that may distract you from your studies – that’s the message from deputy higher education minister Mduduzi Manana to students.
He was speaking at the launch of an HIV/Aids programme at Lovedale FET College’s Zwelitsha campus this week.
Students from various surrounding institutions, together with their principals – including University of Fort Hare vice-chancellor Dr Mvuyo Tom and BCM acting mayor Ncedo Kumbaca – attended the First Things First activation drive hosted by Manana.
Popular media personality Criselda Dudumashe, an ambassador of the campaign, told of how she had been living a happy, healthy life since she was diagnosed with HIV 20 years ago.
“Being positive is not a death sentence, but it’s best to know your status as early as possible so you can learn what to do about it and take the correct steps to living a healthy life.”
Manana said the state had invested billions into supplying a variety of flavoured condoms to encourage the youth to make use of them if they are sexually active.
“Ideally if you are not sexually active now, don’t start. Delay anything that may distract you from what you are studying because people back home have invested in you and they are hopeful that change will come with you in the family.”
Sivuyile Sese, 17, from Hector Peterson High School, said the initiative was exciting.
“Sometimes we want to get condoms and we want to get tested but we are too embarrassed to go the clinics because that is where we are mocked and ridiculed by nurses, many of whom we may have grown up in front of or they may know our family,” said Sese.
“Now with the department coming to us, we can do everything within the school premises without a care in the world, because they are not here to humiliate us.”
Mandilakhe Manqonu, 18, said it was encouraging to hear that the department was going to such lengths to get the message across to the youth.
“With everything that is being said and done, there is absolutely no reason why the youth of today need to fall into the same trap that our parents may have fallen into,” she said.
The campaign is being run to raise awareness and provide health services at 429 campuses across all public sector technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges and universities in South Africa.
The final higher education and training sector activation for the year happens just a few days before South Africa joins the global 16 Days of No Violence campaign, which focuses on increasing awareness of the impact of violence and abuse on women and children. — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
Lovedale launches HIV programme
He was speaking at the launch of an HIV/Aids programme at Lovedale FET College’s Zwelitsha campus this week.
Students from various surrounding institutions, together with their principals – including University of Fort Hare vice-chancellor Dr Mvuyo Tom and BCM acting mayor Ncedo Kumbaca – attended the First Things First activation drive hosted by Manana.
Popular media personality Criselda Dudumashe, an ambassador of the campaign, told of how she had been living a happy, healthy life since she was diagnosed with HIV 20 years ago.
“Being positive is not a death sentence, but it’s best to know your status as early as possible so you can learn what to do about it and take the correct steps to living a healthy life.”
Manana said the state had invested billions into supplying a variety of flavoured condoms to encourage the youth to make use of them if they are sexually active.
“Ideally if you are not sexually active now, don’t start. Delay anything that may distract you from what you are studying because people back home have invested in you and they are hopeful that change will come with you in the family.”
Sivuyile Sese, 17, from Hector Peterson High School, said the initiative was exciting.
“Sometimes we want to get condoms and we want to get tested but we are too embarrassed to go the clinics because that is where we are mocked and ridiculed by nurses, many of whom we may have grown up in front of or they may know our family,” said Sese.
“Now with the department coming to us, we can do everything within the school premises without a care in the world, because they are not here to humiliate us.”
Mandilakhe Manqonu, 18, said it was encouraging to hear that the department was going to such lengths to get the message across to the youth.
“With everything that is being said and done, there is absolutely no reason why the youth of today need to fall into the same trap that our parents may have fallen into,” she said.
The campaign is being run to raise awareness and provide health services at 429 campuses across all public sector technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges and universities in South Africa.
The final higher education and training sector activation for the year happens just a few days before South Africa joins the global 16 Days of No Violence campaign, which focuses on increasing awareness of the impact of violence and abuse on women and children. — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
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