Entertainment / Music
US partners Jibilika Dance Trust to launch Step Up 2 HIV initiative
28 Jun 2013 at 20:07hrs | Views
The United States Embassy's Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has partnered Jibilika Dance Trust to launch Step Up 2 HIV, an HIV /AIDS awareness initiative riding on popular youth culture.
Plot Mhako, the Creative Director at Jibilika Dance Trust, says the initiative was born after a 2012 one-month long US Embassy sponsored trip to the United States of America.
The International Visitors Leadership Program on hip hop and civic engagement stimulated new creative thinking resulting in the STEP UP 2 HIV themed Jibilika Dance Festival last year. This saw the birth of the groundbreaking initiative, "STEP UP 2 HIV PROJECT", which uses popular mediums of dance, music, social media and networking platforms to inspire and engage young people in promoting an HIV and AIDS free generation," said Mhako
The mission of this initiative is to use the power of popular culture and positive peer influence to reach and engage young people in the fight against HIV and AIDS. "If kids are getting an education from popular culture, why not use popular culture to teach them"
The Step up to HIV project will mobilise and engage young people through popular youth music and dance in HIV prevention, Sexual Reproductive Health and Advocacy campaigns in schools and communities.
Step Up 2 HIV will employ methods that young people can relate to, to ensure the message goes wide and far. The project is set to tap into the ever-growing power of social media and most importantly Dance and Music as peer educational tools.
The official launch ceremony is set for Saturday the 6th of July 2013 at the College of Music in Harare where youths from around Harare will gather to showcase through music and dance raising awareness on HIV/AIDS.
Plot Mhako, the Creative Director at Jibilika Dance Trust, says the initiative was born after a 2012 one-month long US Embassy sponsored trip to the United States of America.
The International Visitors Leadership Program on hip hop and civic engagement stimulated new creative thinking resulting in the STEP UP 2 HIV themed Jibilika Dance Festival last year. This saw the birth of the groundbreaking initiative, "STEP UP 2 HIV PROJECT", which uses popular mediums of dance, music, social media and networking platforms to inspire and engage young people in promoting an HIV and AIDS free generation," said Mhako
The mission of this initiative is to use the power of popular culture and positive peer influence to reach and engage young people in the fight against HIV and AIDS. "If kids are getting an education from popular culture, why not use popular culture to teach them"
The Step up to HIV project will mobilise and engage young people through popular youth music and dance in HIV prevention, Sexual Reproductive Health and Advocacy campaigns in schools and communities.
Step Up 2 HIV will employ methods that young people can relate to, to ensure the message goes wide and far. The project is set to tap into the ever-growing power of social media and most importantly Dance and Music as peer educational tools.
The official launch ceremony is set for Saturday the 6th of July 2013 at the College of Music in Harare where youths from around Harare will gather to showcase through music and dance raising awareness on HIV/AIDS.
Source - Zimbabwe Charity
