 Message from HEARD's Director, Prof Alan Whiteside I have just three weeks of sabbatical left. It has been good to be in the northern hemisphere through a spring, summer and now an autumn. HEARD's Gender and HIV and AIDS Project Gender and gender inequalities are a central aspect in the transmission of HIV throughout the world, particularly in southern and eastern Africa South African Work-Family Symposium The South African Work-Family Symposium where employers can gauge their own progress on work-family policy against other players in the industry will take place on 30 November in Cape Town. Increasing African Capacity Central to HEARD's Capacity Building agenda, the Young Researchers Initiative (YRI) aims to provide support to young researchers based in eastern and southern Africa to produce high quality, accessible research on HIV/AIDS. At Last, Progress in Developing an AIDS Vaccine According to recent media reports, an experimental HIV vaccine has for the first time cut risk of infection. HEARD's Director, Prof Alan Whiteside was invited by OUPblog to post his views on this recent development which he says this will lead to new investment and energy in the development of vaccines. OUPblog is Oxford University Press' blogosphere for learning, understanding and reflection. A New HEARD Research Agenda on XDR-TB In response to the emergence of drug resistant TB in South Africa, HEARD has set up a research project to explore the reasons for the high levels of hospital transmission of XDR-TB.   | Newsletter Issue 1 October 2009
The HEARD-produced film Vukuzakhe, Arise & Build Yourself has been requested for screening at the 2010 Movies that Matter Festival. The Movies that Matter Festival is an initiative of the Dutch section of Amnesty International and it is the successor of the Amnesty International Film Festival. This is a festival of engaged cinema: an annual film and debate festival about human rights, human dignity and situations where these are at stake. This request comes hot on the heels of the film's screening at the landmark 30th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF). At DIFF the film was one of 200 screenings at venues across the city of Durban and in surrounding communities. The film focuses on the plight of the small Underberg community who are caught in the grip of the AIDS pandemic. With one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the world, they feel the impact of the disease at its most immediate. Last year, HEARD conducted research in this community to evaluate the work of Vukuzakhe, a community-based project which attempts to influence sexual decision making indirectly by including HIV issues in extra literacy and drama lessons. The evaluation -led by HEARD researcher Dr Jill Hanass-Hancock - evolved into an action-research agenda which included the production of the film. On how she felt about the film being requested for possible screening, Hanass-Hancock said: "I was thrilled as I did not expect it. The film was spotted when it was screened at the Durban Film Festival. I hope it will raise awareness about small community projects like Vukuzakhe because it illustrates how people within African communities are dealing with their problems and trying to do something about their problems themselves." In May, Vukuzakhe, Arise & Build Yourself was also screened in Dia de Africa (Day of Africa) section at this year's Spanish Film Festival. The film focuses on Xolani Mofokeng who joined Vukuzakhe after losing his sister to AIDS. Vukuzakhe attempts to tackle the issues facing the community through performing arts and literacy lessons. Through Xolani, we discover a community not willing to surrender. |
