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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2005-05-18, Page 3Janelle Wood spends 10 weeks teaching about AIDS in Tanzania By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor After spending 10 weeks in a Tanzanian village where she worked educating youth about HIV/AIDS, Janelle Wood, of Seaforth, wishes she could somehow bring the experience home to Canada. "If people could just experience a day in the life, a lot of people's eyes would be opened," she says. With a desire to see Africa and to help combat the devastation caused there by AIDS, Wood joined Youth International Challenge, a, youth 'and community development organization based in Toronto for a 10 - week project in Tanzania. "I wanted to volunteer in one form or another," says Wood, a recreation therapist who has been out of university for two years. During the project, which she returned from in April, Wood lived in a small village called Mpwapwa three hours south of Tanzania's capital of Dodoma. While most of her time was spent helping to educate 50 youth gathered from 10 surrounding villages about HIV/AIDS, common misconceptions about the disease and prevention, Wood also learned a lot about Tanzanian culture, including a beginner's grasp of the language Swahili. The focus of the project was to educate youth using "edutainment" or drama and skits to teach about the disease that has infected 29.4 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, almost three quarters of the total of people infected with HIV worldwide. Wood says a common misconception in her village was the belief that American condoms were infected with the HIV virus so it was tough to convince people to use them. "They think people are trying to wipe out the whole continent of Africa. That was a tough one," she says. Other misconceptions included the beliefs that HIV or AIDS could be transmitted through coughing, a toilet seat, hugging, clothing and just being friends. A common practice was to Tir t,+ j't4i1‘. Janelle Wood, of Seaforth, at centre, sits with women in the village of Mpwapwa during a women's health day where information on AIDS prevention was discussed. fill condoms with salt water and hold them up to see if there were any holes in them. What people didn't realize was the salt in the water was causing the holes. "There was a lot of stigma and not a lot of education about prevention," says Wood. "And, there was a strong religious resistance against condoms since many were Catholic and didn't believe in birth control." As well, many people can't afford condoms. She says death certificates usually don't mention the cause of death as AIDS and instead list the causes of pneumonia or malaria people catch as a secondary disease because their immune systems were so weak from AIDS. "I don't know if it's denial maybe. It was a way for family and friends to hide it," she says. Still, a lot of families have lost relatives to AIDS and there are many children being raised by grandparents or aunts after their parents have died. Wood's project included forming school clubs aimed at Grades 6 to 8 where students were taught about the disease and its prevention using drama techniques, poster campaigns, poetry and skits performed during the intermission of sporting events. "We wanted the knowledge to be sustained after the white people left. We were hoping the clubs would continue," she says. One of the highlights of the project for Wood was a women's day or "siku ya akina mama" where 100 women got together to talk about women's health issues, AIDS and women's empowerment. In Tanzania, part of the problem with the transmission of AIDS is that the culture does not allow women to deny their husbands sex. As well, there is a noticeable problem with violence against women. "Because there were no men there that day, the women were free to ask questions and not be interrupted," says Wood. "We got to interact with the women and find out what they wanted. They definitely expressed an interest to learn." Living in Tanzania also' gave Wood a chance to learn about the culture and see how Community Living reaches wage settlement with staff By Eric Collins Lakeshore Advance Staff Community Living South Huron has reached a wage settlement with its employees after both sides agreed last week after intense negotiations. Both sides agreed to a one year contract giving employees an increase of 20 cents per hour in the first six months and 10 cents per hour in the following six months of the contract. Community Living South Huron CEO made the announcment a week ago after several hours of negotiations. The workers had been without a contract since April 1 of this year and were in a legal strike position last Wednesday. The proposal was taken to union members for voting on yesterday (May 17) and Monday ( May 16). The result was not known by press time. The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 2597 recently held a strike vote with 76 percent of members voting in favour of a strike if a settlement was not met. Bargaining chair Barb Dunlop said the union is trying to lobby the government to release funds hack into the development service sector which she said is underfunded by approximately 25 per cent. Shaw had a similar view of the pay equity between the Development Service sector and others in similar fields. "They do vital work," Shaw said. "Generally speaking, they trail their counterparts (in pay) in the health field." The original offer made by CLSH management was a three per cent increase. The uion wanted a two per cent increase as well as a negotiable raise with a one per cent increase in equity which Dunlop said is government mandated. Shaw said the equity is mandated, however it is not specified which level the money needs to come from. He said they are anticipaitng the employees will get the one per cent equity, however he said there may he legal challenges on which level it would come from. Shaw originally said they would have a harder time coming up with increases as they have already reduced their management drastically over the last six years. He said six years ago 25 per cent of the payroll came from management. The CLSH payroll now sits with eight per cent from managment. Shaw said the deal is very close to management's original position with their major concerns being the cutting of hours or staff. He said they will be able to implement the deal with minimal impact on staffing or services. He is not so optimistic of the negotiations at the expiry of this contract. "I am fearful of next year because of the fact that the union wants more next year," he said. "We think we can probably make the neccessary staffing cuts this year with minimal effect on clients. We are not so confident we can do that next year." The union called an open meeting on May 2 in Exeter to discuss a possible strike and to look at options in resolving the contract dispute. The meeting also included the presence of CLSH management which surprised Dunlop. The meeting included speakers from Toronto. Hamilton, Guelph, and Sarnia who spoke in support of the union. Advertisement The European Appliance Store in Lucknow Div. of Euro -Parts In our store you find the following fine imported appliances with serv- ice and after sales from our new live location. AEG, AGA, Faber, Llebhirr, St. George. A place not just for shopping but a place where you can come and try out your new high end, state of the art appliances before you buy. So bring in your laundry and wash in the most sold washer in Europe. And while you wait, cook in a beautiful oven or on top of the new induction cook top.Take a refreshing drink out of a fridge you can't see. And don't worry about the dishes, we will dean them for you in a dishweaher that you can't hear. But, before you drhie to Lucknow, you must caR us tint at 1 800 678 8352 or emelt salon O euro-parts.ca and you can visit us at www.euro-parts.ca much more simply the Africans lived on their average wage of $100 U.S. a year. She says children often played with balled -up plastic bags wrapped in elastic bands since they couldn't afford soccer balls and made cars out of pieces of wood with water bottle cap wheels. She learned to milk a cow by hand, pluck a chicken and make chapatis over an open fire. The house she lived in had electricity and running water but it did not have refrigeration so all meals had to be eaten up with no leftovers and milk had to be drunk warm after being boiled. While in Africa, she also climbed Mount Meru - "one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life," went on a four-day safari on the Serengeti and visited the island of Zanzibar. She has been sharing her story with local service clubs, friends and family, who all helped pay for her trip, since she returned. THE HURON EXPOSITOR, May 18, 2005-3 1(t1dflhifl \look % Paft11 1' 1',tillt Pa')( t Decorating or Renovating? We provide in-home consultation by a certified professional at No Cost or Obligation!* Call today to set up your appointment. 19 Main Street, Seaforth (519)527-1880 or 1-866-707-7670 'Addresses within 1/2 hour of our store! COME111 . MIS • �q eras AT TE -EM FARM! WHE: Ell YC)U 1 t FIND QUALITY, -i t-FCiION It. SIHVICE YOU DESERVE! Home of Distinctive Annuals! A Wonderful Line of Premium Selected Plants 1000's of Hanging Baskets. 1000's of Distinctive Plants. 15 Colours of Waw Petunias. 1000's of Geraniums in 17 Gorgeous Colours, All in One Greenhouse...A SIGHT TO BEHOLD! 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