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Tuesday, 8 May 2007

SWAM in the Fight Against HIV/Aids in Nkhota Kota

In it's efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the Society for Women Against AIDS in Malawi (SWAM) is implementing a two year project in Nkhotakota District aimed at empowering the youth, girls and young women in particular to have increased access to Sexual and Reproductive Health rights.

SWAM, a non governmental and non profit making organization embarked on the project whose goal is to reduce the susceptibility and vulnerability of young women and girls to HIV/AIDS by building the capacity of local communities to fight HIV/AIDS in a rights perspective.


The organisation's Executive Director, Gavelet Mzembe said in an interview that through the project, the youth in the district have been equipped with knowledge in sexual and reproductive health rights.

"As a result of a successful community mobilization, youth clubs were established and trained in sexual and reproductive health and life skills. Through discussion forums and community outreach in these clubs, the youth have reached out to more than 2,500 people with messages on life skills and Sexual and Reproductive Health," Said Mzembe.

She said her organization embarked on the project in Chia and Lozi areas in the district because of their proximaty to the lake where a lot of fishermen were demanding sex from women in exchange for fish.

"We as SWAM wanted to come in and help reduce the Fish for sex practice which was increasing the HIV prevalence rate in the area," said Mzembe.

She said her organization has managed to train 20 fishermen of which 3 were women as peer educators in Gender and Sexual reproductive health rights. Amongst the group were also 2 representatives from Nkhotakota AIDS Support Organisation (NASO) and Fisheries Department who work closely with the fishermen.

Mzembe explained that the training was aimed at equipping the fishermen with peer education skills so that they can reach out to their fellow fishermen resident in the area and other fishermen coming from other areas.

According to Mzembe, the project is already achieving results as some of the women and fishermen involved in the practice have come out in the open to testify and condemn it.

A lady from Kampanje Village who opted for anonymity testified being a victim of fish for sex as she used to buy fish for sale at the lake.

"I am a victim of fish for sex. I used to buy fish from the lake for resale. This is where I used to have sexual intercourse with the fishermen in order to gain favors so that I get more fish. I am HIV positive and can testify about the evils of this practice and advocate for change," said the lady.

Mzembe said SWAM in partnership with the communities, has established 5 Income Generating women groups and through their initiatives, they developed constitutions and opened bank accounts for the groups.

The women groups are trained in business management skills and have already identified houses to be used for bakeries in Chia and Lozi areas.

She said the women were given money to start up their businesses and the Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN) organized a Trade Literacy Workshop .

Mzembe said her organization is so far impressed with what the project has achieved in the area and was optimistic that a lot more would be achieved.

"Through this project, lives have been transformed, through this project we have managed to impart knowledge and skills among women and girls," she said.

Emily Zakeyo, a woman from Lozi was all praises to SWAM from bringing the project to the area which she said had really changed her life in various aspects.

"In the past, I had very little knowledge of HIV/AIDS issues but with the coming of this project by SWAM, I have learnt a lot of issues in as far as HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health issues are concerned," She said.

Zakeyo said her life had also been transformed as she is now able to manage her home financially, courtesy of the business skills and capital that she got from SWAM.

She explained that she used to rely on money or fish given to her by fishermen who would demand to have sex with her in exchange of whatever they gave out to her.

"I did not realize that I was putting my own life at risk until SWAM came to this area with this project," she said.

The project is being funded by DanChurch Aid.

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