Wize Up HIV/AIDS Initiative impacting on society

May 04, 2009 News

Since its official launch several months ago, the Wize Up HIV/AIDS Initiative has been impacting greatly in schools and other sections of society according to Vizion Sounds officials.
Officially launched at the City Malls on October 25 last year, the project is the brainchild of the Vizion Sounds Promotions officials, whose idea it was to fight the epidemic using musicians as instruments to attract and educate youths on HIV/AIDS issues.

Walter Fraser, CEO of Vizion Sounds Recordings.

Under the theme ‘Wize Up, be HIV/AIDS literate’ young entertainers are visiting schools and communities across Guyana taking the message of abstinence and responsible sexual behavior to young people. Brochures, pamphlets, CDs and other educational materials are being distributed.
Vizion Sounds is one of the leading promoters of Guyanese talent and has been producing music in Guyana for more than 10 years.
According to one of its executives, the company feels that having a captive audience of young people, it is their civic responsibility to deliver positive messages to that audience.
The project entails the distribution of CDs in schools and villages where the likes of artistes Edward Neblett, Ballys, Alabama, Typheon Abensette, Girlie Persaud and Fojo will be delivering live performances followed by presentations on HIV/AIDS. Abstinence is the main focus of the project, which will be featured in schools countrywide.
So far the initiative has been taken to the Albouystown District, several other city locations and will also be featured in Linden, Berbice and hinterland areas. If all goes well the project heads to the Lethem District later this year.
Officials at Vizion Sounds have indicated that since its implementation, the project is definitely attracting wide scale attention of youths, particularly those in their early and late teens. According to the Vizion Sounds management team, the idea of using entertainment to educate youths on the epidemic has worked well since most of them are already prone to most of the musical items executed by the Vizion Sound vocalists and are actually fans of the musicians used at each forum.
Musicians are required to give live cultural performances before launching into verbal educative speeches and messages relating to HIV/AIDS.
The endorsees used at the official launch were Alabama, Typheon Abbensette, Girlie Persaud, and Ballys.
This project aims to promote AIDS\HIV awareness within the schools, rural areas and among underprivileged youths within their various communities, and to promote gender equality and address gender norms and relations to reduce the vulnerability of women and girls, involving men and boys in this effort.
It is also geared at promoting widespread knowledge and awareness of how HIV is transmitted and how infections can be averted, promoting the links between HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health, and supporting the mobilization of community-based responses throughout the continuum of prevention, care and treatment.
The project also aims to promote programmes targeted at HIV prevention needs of key affected groups and populations, including women and girls, youth, men who have sex with men, sex workers, people living in poverty, prisoners, migrant labourers (e.g. miners) and indigenous populations;
Confrontation and mitigation of HIV-related stigma and discrimination is also among other objectives as well as where possible encourage young people to delay sexual activity and practice abstinence.