Tag Archives: African

Black Politics, Life, Policy Watch

WORLD AIDS DAY

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Just a few things to consider from WHO:

Current landscape

“HIV remains a major global public health issue, having claimed 40.4 million [32.9–51.3 million] lives so far with ongoing transmission in all countries globally; with some countries reporting increasing trends in new infections when previously on the decline.”

“In 2022, 630 000 [480 000–880 000] people died from HIV-related causes and 1.3 million [1.0–1.7 million] people acquired HIV.”

Prevention

Reduce the risk of HIV infection by:

  • using a male or female condom during sex
  • being tested for HIV and sexually transmitted infections
  • having a voluntary medical male circumcision
  • using harm reduction services for people who inject and use drugs

Treatment

There is no cure for HIV infection. It is treated with antiretroviral drugs, which stop the virus from replicating in the body.

Current antiretroviral therapy (ART) does not cure HIV infection but allows a person’s immune system to get stronger. This helps them to fight other infections.

Currently, ART must be taken every day for the rest of a person’s life.

ART lowers the amount of the virus in a person’s body. This stops symptoms and allows people to live a full and healthy life. People living with HIV who are taking ART and who have no evidence of virus in the blood will not spread the virus to their sexual partners.

Pregnant women with HIV should have access to and take ART as soon as possible. This protects the health of the mother and will help prevent HIV from passing to the fetus before birth, or to the baby through breast milk.

Antiretroviral drugs given to people without HIV can prevent the disease.

When given before possible exposures to HIV it is called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and when given after an exposure it is called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). People can use PrEP or PEP when the risk of contracting HIV is high; people should seek advice from a clinician when thinking about using PrEP or PEP.

Last Thoughts

“It is the big disease with the little name, the sickness that no one dies of, the disease whose real name is unspoken, the sickness that speaks its presence through the pink redness of lips, the slipperiness of hair, through the whites of the eyes whiter than nature intended.” Petina Gappah

End Stigma.

Black Politics, Life

Our Voices Booklet

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A note from the editor Katswe Sisterhood –

Dear Reader,

Thank you for supporting the our voices project and taking the time to read this publication. Within it you will find chapters that feature submissions from artists in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Some of these women tell stories we have continually heard over the years and others bring topics not previously identified under the 12 critical areas of the Beijing declaration and POA.

You will find women telling stories inspired by personal truths and women using art to arouse deep conversation and feeling.

I really hope you enjoy it as I have enjoyed editing it.

Many thanks once again to our partners at OSISA, Urgent Action Fund Africa, Ford Foundation and Katswe Sistahood: without your support we would not have been able to breathe life into this idea and provide a platform where young women’s voice and art are celebrated. We hope to receive your continued support and that it allows this to become the first of many similar projects.

Download below:

katswesistahood.net/wp-content/uploads/Downloadable/Sept_2020/Our-Voices-2020_sml.pdf

Life

On Love from Africa – On Love from Africa Selections

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You sit and wonder what is more insulting than your ex asking you if you are still fat or travelling over 3000 miles to be with someone who then avoids you and turns you into a stalker.

Somehow you meet a guy he’s cute and seems lovely but somewhere along the line something always goes terribly wrong.

Usually there are signs, little signs that may lead you to think this is not a good guy, but being the ever hopeful romantic who are you to doubt love? 

Who are you to miss out on your “potential soulmate.” Yes you have actually used those words right? 

Who are you to think that a person that spends the first part of your relationship being difficult won’t change?

Then you start to wonder if the problem is you. When the signs that say run this guy is no good why then do you run towards them?

Perhaps too many novels that tell you a happy ending will be yours so bring on the heartbreak and bring on the assholes.

But God we pray that at the end of all this prince kinda charming is waiting. O and God please let him have a job o yes and papers.

Now lets look at what else you want in prince kinda charming. You used to be like “they need a diploma” but you let that standard go. Nothing like dropping your standards and then the person ends up married to someone else.

Then you look for a “good guy” but lets just say the difference between the good and the bad is getting thinner and thinner.

It’s always a contest. Are you the girlfriend having to deal with the harem of sidechicks.  Or are you the sidechick knowingly or unknowing, if unknowing being humiliated when the official bae is made known.

Decisions decisions this is love in 2018.

Now you are almost 30 it’s starting to come up do you have kids? Nope. Are you married? Nope. Awkward silence follows. 

But it’s really not polite to respond with are you happy in your relationship?

Do you wish you had waited to have kids?

If you could do it again would you pick YOUR husband?

Do you worry that you will resent your children for stopping your career?

Are you really and truly happy?

Instead you smile and respond, well I haven’t met the right guy yet or I don’t think I’m ready for children. 

When you are finally around children you honestly start to wonder am I ready to give my life to school runs? Don’t I enjoy sleeping till midday and buying crap that I don’t need?

But those babies are just so darn cute, how bad could one be. And those husbands do seem awfully handy at times.

On the other hand it’s not all bad right because you have a guy that you have never met saying that he loves you. But you are skeptical, it is not because you aren’t “that great” but something must be wrong with someone that tells you they love you without meeting you first right?

Or is that love in 2018?

Or is the problem that if a guy is serious then all of a sudden they are desperate or something must be wrong with them? You don’t know but it just seems highly suspicious.

So back to the point. Do you enjoy wasting women’s time or you just can’t help it? 

Why can’t guys just leave you alone? They see you living your life and all they want is to f up your shit.

This is love in 2018 right?

This thing we want called black love will be our downfall.

But when its right it’s so right that how can you not want it.

It can be right right?

#TThought on Love from Africa

7 October 2018 

To be continued

Black Politics

You cannot excuse yourself from blackness

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In reading the book Here I Stand by Paul Robeson I learnt that I think it is important and we need to keep our eyes on the prize. No-one is excused from the responsibility that comes with blackness. While we have had many celebrities that have helped in moving the fight forward we have to always remember that all celebrities, politicians, or political parties will not always do what is best for Black people.

Some do, some are frauds, some try in their own way usually in a manner that is not harmful to themselves as an individual. However as a marginilized community we always have to keep in mind that those that are trying to change institutional problems are also restricted by those same institutions.

Today you can think of Colin Kaepernick, he tried to do speak out against an institution  but was he punished for it. I think of Zanu PF or Fidel Castro they tried to challenge the international community and their populations have suffered dearly as a result.

Stopping oppression is not the job of one person it is for all of us to do what we can, when we can and in regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in.

Here are the quotes that stood out to me in the book:  

“Reed is dead now. He won no honours in classroom, pulpit or platform. Yet I remember him with love. Restless, rebellious, scoffing at conventions, defiant of the white man’s law – I’ve known many negroes like Reed. I see them everyday. Blindly, on their own reckless manner, they seek a way out for themselves; alone, they pound with their fists and fury against walls that only the shoulders of many can topple” pg 13 

Here I Stand by Paul Robeson
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