Day 3 of ONE’s charity week in the Big Brother Africa house was focused on fighting the epidemic of HIV and AIDS through open health budgets.
The housemates woke up to the reality that 69% of people with HIV/AIDS in the world are living in Africa. Actually the number will be the same tomorrow and worse if there is no action.
The first task challenged housemates to create a mural mosaic in the shape of the AIDS ribbon using 500 unused condoms. The idea behind the task was to emphasise the importance of safe sex as one of the methods to prevent the contraction of HIV.
Watch housemate Melvin read out the ONE brief for the day and housemates starting working on their AIDS ribbon mosaic.
With the task well underway, pertinent discussions around free access to condoms were raised. Housemates from Namibia and South Africa mentioned that their governments had taken steps to ensure accessibility to condoms, with them being obtainable in public facilities such as hospitals and clinics. Housemates agreed that increasing education on how to protect oneself was needed as such awareness usually leads to behavioural change.
Once the AIDS ribbon mosaic had been completed the housemates came together and made the following plea to African Union: “Together as one we say: AU it’s time for you to open up our budgets and deliver on your promises to spend 15% on health. Lives depend on it. Our lives depend on you.”
Watch the housemates send their message to the AU.
ONE’s Open Budgets Save Lives campaign is calling for this to happen – find out why this really matters.
Visually this was a very powerful moment for viewers as it showed the power of unity and how strong our voices can be when we act together and unite for one cause.
Viewer malu_8a tweeted “@ONEinAfrica let us unite and help tackle the many issues that hinder a better development for Africans#AfricaUnite” and Kimberly Suaris commented on the Big Brother Facebook page “If we work 2gethr as africans we cn achieve human dignity and we cn bit HIV Africa lets nt ignore it act against it 1luv africa teamANGELO AWEeee”
The second task for the day was an informal discussion around HIV/AIDS, which exposed personal and candid stories from housemates. Dillish from Namibia shared her experience with the loss of her Aunt who died of AIDS, Bimp from Ethiopia shared about his uncle who he lost to the disease and Cleo from Zambia shared about her close friend who is currently living with the the disease.
Watch the housemates tell Big Brother how HIV/AIDS has affected them personally and their thoughts on poverty in Africa.
This task proved that sharing experiences makes issues such as HIV/AIDS, which are usually very difficult to discuss, so tangible and real. There’s a comfort that viewers get in knowing that they are not alone, and by openly having such discussions negative perceptions around the disease can be changed.
South African housemate Angelo emphasised how the discussion really put a spotlight on the need for individuals to be responsible for their own lives. There was great consensus from the housemates on the need to de-stigmatise the disease and to reiterate how it’s not a death sentence. Tanzanian housemate Feza provided a very encouraging message when she said, “Never lose hope. Never lose faith. Never be discouraged”.
The most inspiring aspect of ONE’s charity week has been the awakening of active citizenship on the parts of both the housemates and the public. Housemates have increasingly proclaimed their newfound awareness of the responsibility that they have towards the continent and their ability to create change. This has been equally echoed by viewers who have taken to social networks to show their support for ONE and its campaigns, and to profess their willingness to use their voices to create change in their individual countries.
After today there is a strong sense of encouragement over the impact and improvements in the fight against HIV/AIDS- it can only get better, more must be done.
For more exciting updates about activities and tasks in the house, keep an eye on the ONE Africa blog or follow us on Twitter.
