True men to fight HIV/AIDS
Francistown men are gearing up to join the fight against HIV/AIDS. The men are tired of being seen as inactive in the fight against the epidemic. As a result they have revived the group, True Men.
Francistown has the second highest HIV prevalence rate of 24.5 percent among towns after Kasane. True Men was formed in 2000 through the Francistown District Multi Sectoral Aids Committee (DMSAC). But it has been moribund in the last few years because of lack of funds. This year, it has been allocated funds by DMSAC to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Jabu Makhiya from the secretariat of True Men says that membership of the group is open to every man in and around Francistown who would like to help keep the HIV infection rate down. "The main objective of True Men is to reduce the infection numbers especially among men in the north by 2009.
We are on a mission to get most men in Francistown and surrounding villages to be involved in this fight," said Makhiya. He added that the only way men could fight against HIV/AIDS if when they unite and stand together. He said that True Men is different from Men Sector, which is more focused on soldiers, policemen and prison warders. He pointed out that True Men does not discriminate against anyone and encourages every man to take part in the group.
Makhiya said that the group has a number of activities lined up this year as part of its publicity strategy. The activities will all take place in Francistown. Already one activity took place when True Men organised a meeting at the Civic Centre and Makhiya is pleased that more people than expected showed up. "Our target was 200 men but 260 men turned up and that was all because of too much publicity. We are pleased that a lot of people took time to come to the meeting and share with us what they know about HIV/AIDS and what could be done," Makhiya said.
He added that the meeting revealed a lot of problems that the men are worried about but are always not free to point out. Makhiya said most men confessed that the reason they do not test for HIV is because they are afraid their partners would leave them. While some blamed women for the spread of HIV/AIDS, he said that at the end of the meeting, men accepted that they are culpable and promised to refrain from having many sexual partners. "Most importantly we all agreed that we have to be more responsible and respect our partners. We discussed passion killings and all of us are aware that we are to be blamed because most passion killings are caused by men," he said.
Makhiya added that more men agreed that abuse of women does not solve any problems; and, therefore, they should try and change their behaviour towards their partners and alcohol. Those at the meeting found a common ground and agreed that more effort must be made to get together more men and fight HIV/AIDS.
Makhiya said that as True Men, they have realised that people have to distance themselves from Setswana culture. They should not heed to sayings that a man is not supposed to be asked where he is from and the most popular one that: "Monna o a adimanwa, ke selepe (a man is supposed to be shared)". Makhiya said that if there are enough resources, True Men is willing to fight HIV/AIDS across the country and not just in the north.