SACAIDS Concert: Le Meridian Hotel: Abuja, Nigeria, September 26th , 2004
As part of a 15 state tour, the renowned artist Zakky Azzay and others,
performed a series of concerts throughout Nigeria to raise awareness of
AIDS as well as the care and support of people living with AIDS. Other
musicians included Baba 2010, Angel Zig Zag, Princess Lola, Ify Fajilo,
and comedians like Big Mouth, Klint de Drunk, Funky Mallum. Tables were
set up on site by The National Action Committee, the Network of People
Living with HIV/AIDS and the Center for Right to Health. Almost 2,000
people attended.
SAC WITH ZAKKY AT A CONCERT AT LE’ MERIDIAN HOTEL ABUJA ON THE 26TH OF SEPTEMBER, 2004.
SAC in collaboration with Zakky Azzay and other artists as he tours 15 states of Nigeria in celebration of his 10 years in the music industry.
AIM OF THE CONCERT.
Our basic aim is to use the opportunity provided by Zakky as one of SAC brigade member and educate the large audience consisting mainly of the youth, on HIV/AIDS. We also wanted to carry out on the site voluntary confidential counseling and testing[VCCT].
STRATEGY.
To use the different medium provided by the different artists both musicians and comedians and enlighten people in an atmosphere of camaraderie. We strategically positioned the mascots at the entrance of the concert venue, to draw adequate attention to the HIV/AIDS aspect of the concert. The literature and condom display was also strategically located, as well as the booths for confidential counseling and testing.
ACHIEVED RESULTS.
Artists like Zakky, Baba 2010, Angel Zig Zag, Princess Lola, Ify Fajilo, and others, comedians like Big Mouth, klint de drunk, Funky Mallam and many others, were there and each contributed in their own way towards educating the audience of one thousand eight hundred people. The National Action Committee on HIV/AIDS, Network of People living with HIV/AIDS, and Center for Right to Health, all partnered with Sac as we made available informative literatures, condoms and Voluntary confidential counseling and testing to people.
Ninety six[96] people registered for counseling and testing, eighty four[84] came for counseling, while forty five[45] got tested for HIV. Seven people were HIV positive, and as is our custom, we had them come to our Abuja office for their result in other to have a confirmatory test done, as well as prepare them emotionally and psychologically before disclosing the result of their test to them. We then referred them to the Network of people living with HIV/AIDS for more information on how to deal live with HIV positively.
FINDINGS AND DEDUCTIONS.
We further confirmed that the partnership with counselors living with HIV/AIDS, especially their ability to easily disclose their status to people, always helped to convince the counselees towards knowing their status. We equally noticed that the rate of people living with HIV/AIDS is more in the suburb or satellite towns, than in the major cities.
