A group of students from the Ardenne High School examine brochures on HIV/AIDS at the launch of the "Iron Will: Iron Underpants" project by the Ministry of Health at the Courtleigh Hotel in Kingston last Friday. - Michael Sloley /Freelance Photographer
A ONE-YEAR campaign, billed "Iron Will: Iron Under-pants," aimed at getting children and adolescents to delay sexual activity, was launched by the Ministry of Health at the Courtleigh Hotel in Kingston on Friday.
The campaign will also focus on the stigma associated with and discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS.
There were contrasting scenes of excitement and sobriety at the launch, as scores of teenagers from various schools across the Corporate Area responded to skits, dance, music and video productions, which will be used throughout the campaign to encourage the target group to abstain from sexual activity.
"They are trying to let young people know that sex is not really for us," said 13-year-old Roxanne Jackson, a student of the Calabar Junior High School.
You would not have guessed that the subject was HIV/AIDS and abstinence as the teenagers were pulled into a powerfully presented skit by the Children First group, which looked at the difficulties faced by teenagers who choose to abstain from sexual activity.
"It's not easy to abstain, but you have to protect your body," said Damian Brown a representative from Children First.
The presentation took on a more sombre mood, however, when a 23-year-old young woman revealed that she was diagnosed with AIDS earlier this year and explained to the audience how she was able to cope.
"I am still human," she said. "I still see myself as one of God's greatest creations," she explained, as she told students about the risks of unprotected sex. While she herself has not faced much discrimination, she explained that the main need of HIV/AIDS victims is not money, but love and support from society so people can see that HIV/AIDS is not just some abstract concept.
"I face this disease," she said. "I chose to do this because people need to be allowed to be honest and come out and say hey, this has happened to me."
The teenagers got the message and wanted more.
"I thought the presentation was very good and surely spread some light on AIDS. They should go around in the schools with things like this more often, because parents don't talk about it (AIDS) a lot. It's such a touchy subject," said 15-year-old Patricia Cooke, a student of the Ardenne High School.
Students were also introduced to several facts about AIDS by Verity Rushton, co-ordinator of the National AIDS Committee. There are an estimated 11,000 50,000 children in Jamaica who already have had one or both parents dying from AIDS, she told the group.
The launch ended with the introduction of a 'hip' new CD single in support of the campaign called 'Protect Prepare' featuring several local artistes against AIDS. The artistes included Tony Rebel, Nadine Sutherland, Beenie Man, Zumjay, Luciano, Mr. G, Lady G, Prodigal, Elephant Man, Queen Ifrika, Peter Morgan, Mikey General and George Nooks.
World AIDS Day was observed yesterday.
