THERE was pomp and funfair in the streets of Glen View in Harare as Jibilika Dance Trust concluded their annual calendar with World Aids Day commemorations at Glen View Hall on Monday.
Scores of youth gathered at the Glen View Hall lured by the hip-hop and the local dancehall dance routines as seven groups competed for the grand prize.
The trust took the HIV message ‘Step up to HIV’ to the streets led by the Salvation Army percussion band where they performed and interacted with the public on the HIV message.
The organiser and founder of Jibilika Dance Trust Plot Mhako gave more detail about the initiative saying, “Step up to HIV is a dance and music project launched in 2012 that engages young people in promoting an HIV and AIDS free generation using popular youth culture as a medium to ‘step up’ the fight against the pandemic.”
Running under the under the theme, ‘Getting to zero in Africa, Africa’s responsibility, my responsibility’, the Trust’s organisers took the opportunity to interact with the youth filling in knowledge gaps about the pandemic.
Jibilika Dance Trust has been presenting ‘Step up 2 HIV’ dance and music performances in at least 15 schools and seven communities in Harare with dance routines centred around HIV prevention and sexual reproductive health.
Popular culture has always been used to convey different messages to the public and in 2015 the Trust has said they will be expanding into other provinces with their HIV edutainment performances.
“School clubs and community peer groups will be established and empowered to replicate the campaign,” said Mhako.
“Among other things, the performances will stimulate discussions on HIV and AIDS, sex and sexuality and most importantly, stir young people to step up the fight against HIV and AIDS.”
Last year saw Jibilika Trust being awarded Best Positive Social Impact at the Zimbabwe Hip Hop Awards.