|
|
|
|
|
|
Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE July 12, 2005
|
|
| site design imagesparkle.com |
| November 23, 2004 |
Cape Town, South Africa – Love, Life, and HIV in the Langa Township |
|
| |
 |
| LoveLife Center |
“This is a gun free zone,” read the signs pasted to the bright green and purple walls of the LoveLife Center, situated in the oldest existing South African township, Langa. The LoveLife Center is a community organization which focuses on HIV and sex education for teenagers, and the place where 70 Peace Boat participants spent the day on a cultural exchange with the local young people. |
|
|
 |
| Children at LoveLife’s kindergarten |
Langa literally means “the sun” in the language of the Xhosa tribe, the same tribe that Nelson Mandela belongs to, as well as approximately 200,000 other members. During the Apartheid regime, under the Group Areas Act, all non-white South Africans were forced to relocate out of the city to designated areas, which became known as “townships”. Even today, many of the inhabitants of the South African townships suffer from poverty, illness, HIV-AIDS and unemployment. Sixty-five percent of the Langa population are currently unemployed. |
| |
 |
| Phumla Hobe, right, with communication coordinator Motoko Sakashita |
Situated in the heart of this township, 20 kilometers from the center of Cape Town, is the LoveLife Center. Organized under the auspices of Mrs. Zanele Mbeki, the LoveLife Center offers sexual health services, outreach, support programmes and confidence-building workshops to teenagers in the community. Phumla Hobe, the Center manager, explained to Peace Boat participants that the youths must complete a ten-day “Healthy Sexuality” course once they come to the Center. This course tackles sensitive issues concerning not only the physical aspects of safe sex, but also the emotional experiences of being an adolescent in an environment where HIV-AIDS, drugs, unwanted pregnancies, rape and STDs are rife. According to the LoveLife Centre, many of the young girls suffer rape in their homes, are sometimes forced into unprotected sex with their partners, or experience domestic violence. Langa township has one of the highest levels of HIV-AIDS in South Africa and some sources quote an astonishing 2000 AIDS-related deaths per year. |
| |
 |
| Themi, left, introducing an aspiring radio DJ to Peace Boat |
There are 11 youth leaders between the age of 18 and 25 who are known as “Groundbreaker.” They run the Healthy Sexuality educational courses and lead counselling sessions for the local young people who come to the Center. Peace Boat participants were given a tour of the Center by Thami, a 24 year-old Groundbreaker, who showed them the amenities available at the Center for those who complete the Healthy Sexuality course: games rooms, sports facilities, a DJ space and an IT suite. The course serves as foundational training for the other workshops available at the Center, such as computing, debating skills, motivation and leadership skills, sports and recreation courses and radio station techniques. Upon completion of all courses, the students receive certificates and often go on to become active, responsible members of the Langa community. The most recent initiative is the “2010 Love to be there” slogan, gearing youth towards the World Cup Soccer that is to be hosted in South Africa, thereby fostering interest in sport rather than drugs and crime. |
| |
 |
| Hlanganani, a local performing group |
Funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in collaboration with the South African government, the LoveLife Center is part of a nationwide network of 16 centers, whose aims are to raise awareness about serious issues in a youth-friendly way. Earlier in2004, the Langa youth center set up a temporary radio station to communicate their “Reduce, Delay, Protect” campaign project to a large number of teenagers within the Cape Town district. “Reduce the amount of sexual partners, Delay the moment of having sexual intercourse and Protect yourself from disease” was their hugely successful message. However at a rate of 30,000 rand (over USD 5000) per month for a broadcasting licence, the LoveLife Center’s broadcasting days are limited to one month and they are currently seeking out ways to fund this highly effective radio initiative. |
| |
 |
| Pulling out the drums and rhythm tools quickly demonstrated the communicative power of music |
Most of the day at the LoveLife Center was absorbed in cultural exchange and activity, fusing African and Asian beats and rhythms. A wide variety of performances, from African drumming, singing and dancing to Japanese mime and street theatre displayed a multitude of talents to all those present. Peace Boat participants joined together for games of football and basketball and the day was spent sharing glimpses of culture and founding connections based on non-verbal communication. Music was a solid base for forming this connection, as participants danced hand in hand with the locals and felt the energy and importance of sharing a common beat.
|
| |
 |
| A positive human connection |
LoveLife Center still faces problems in trying to convince members of the community that it is trying to prevent sexual diseases and not promote having sexual intercourse at an early age. Many older people still believe that showing teenagers how to use a condom or femidom, or offering advice on termination or masturbation is a negative rather than a positive contribution to society. LoveLife’s message simply states that “Sex is happening all around us, whether we like it or not, but it’s not something worth dying for. We are simply offering a new lifestyle for young South Africans, promoting healthy living and positive sexuality”. |
| |
| For more information on the LoveLife network see their website at
www.lovelife.org.za or email them at talk@lovelife.org.za |
| |
|
|
|
