Promoting healthy lifestyles among youth
Butterfly project promotes health education through arts
THE Butterfly Project is a major arts and health education initiative facilitated by the Denis Hurley Centre in partnership with the US Consulate and various private sector organisations and NGOs dealing with HIV and Aids.
Tongaat Hulett partnered with Protec and Khethimpilo because of their commitment to working with vulnerable, but high potential youth from socioeconomically challenged communities.
Protec works with pupils with an aptitude in maths and science, while Khethimpilo is an NGO working with government to implement the national HIV/Aids strategic plan.
Over two days the participating youth were involved in HIV/Aids education talks and educational plays.
The youth learnt about the UN Aids 90-90-90 initiative, which has as its aim that by 2020 90 percent of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90 percent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained anti-retroviral therapy and 90 percent of all people receiving anti-retroviral therapy will have viral suppression.
Hands on participation
One group made a butterfly sculpture and the other attended a drama workshop.
In the drama workshop participants competed against each other by performing educational HIV/Aids plays.
The butterfly sculpture, made of small plastic butterflies tied to a mesh was mounted on the wall of the Denis Hurley Centre.
Attendees of the recent 21st Aids conference toured to the centre to see the sculpture.
Nana Ngcobo, a social worker at Khethimpilo and one of the project managers overseeing this initiative, said it was a brilliant concept that she and the youth were happy to be a part of.
‘The project unveiled some hidden talents in the youth and they got to relax and enjoy the activities with their peers.
‘We are grateful to Tongaat Hulett for involving Khethimpilo in this project,’ said Ngcobo.
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