The Herald (Zimbabwe) ZNA Hosts Schools Aids Gala 19 October 2004 Harare THE Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) last week hosted its second Schools Aids Gala at Two Presidential Guard Battalion in Harare in a move geared to make HIV education an integral part of the school curriculum. The programme is also aimed at reducing challenges, prejudices, fear, stigma and d iscrimination against people living with HIV/Aids. The two-day gala was attended by ZNA Army Chief of Staff responsible for Administration and Quartermaster, Major General Martin Chedondo, ZNA Aids Action Committee chairman Brigadier Douglas Nyikayaramba, National Aids Council representative Mr Peter Chibatamoto, senior army officials, 16 ZNA formal schools and Aids service organisations. Activities such as drama, music and a poetry competition and testimonials by HIV infected people marked the event. This year's theme, titled "Setting the Pace for the Creation of an HIV and Aids-free Generation", was aimed at orienting teachers and schools on effective participation in the war against Aids. The theme was designed to inculcate a culture of tolerance within pupils of HIV and Aids programmes at a tender age. Maj Gen Chedondo congratulated ZNA Aids action committees for managing to bring a face and reality to the Aids problem which is faced by the nation. "HIV and Aids are continuously reversing the gains that have been made in social and economic development since independence. "The Zimbabwe National Army Schools Aids Gala which we are having is, therefore, a fitting contribution and a positive response to bring the pandemic under control as we move towards our cherished goal of creating an HIV/Aids-free generation," he said. He said this year's theme was in line with the National Aids Policy and that it was, thus, imperative that school heads and administrators understood the implementation of the schools Aids action programmes. "The programmes include a wide-ranging set of core curriculum materials for pupils from Grade Four to 'A' Level. The organisational principle underlying the development of the core materials has been that of integration. "Relevant information has been integrated into the exploration of social issues such as relationships, human growth and development, life skills and personal development," he said. Maj Gen Chedondo said a lot, however, needs to be done to orient schools towards effective school and community-based health education action against HIV/Aids. Brig Nyikayaramba said it was no secret that children remained highly vulnerable to the impact of HIV/Aids. "In an effort to reduce schoolchildren's vulnerability of HIV/Aids, we are holding this gala to disseminate information about Aids and also give school fees and uniforms to the Aids orphans in our Zimbabwe National Army schools," he said. A total of $8 299 310 in the form of cheques was disbursed to 165 children from the 16 army schools nationwide who have been disadvantaged as a result of the HIV/Aids pandemic. This was a great improvement from last year's gala that saw a total of $513 000 disbursed to two schools for the purpose of carrying out pilot projects and towards the payment of school fees for 16 disadvantaged children. Meanwhile, the army will this week hold a three-day HIV/Aids gala for women within the army at One Commando Reg- iment. The gala is an implementation of the ZNA's policy on HIV/Aids already underway at army training establishments and schools. According to one of the event's organisers, Captain Revesai Mutede, the intended beneficiaries are female serving staff and the spouses of male serving staff. She said that the main objective of the gala was to promote the role of women in tackling the pandemic to encourage them to disclose their status and fostering positive living spirit. "The focus is on women because they are vulnerable to the deadly pandemic and they have been sidelined in the force in this arena yet they constitute more than half the population of the country. "The ZNA is trying to balance the gender equation and at the same time empowering women for a better Zimbabwe," she said. Captain Mutede said about 500 females from the ZNA community around the country are expected to attend the gala. She said other guests expected for the gala were from the Musasa Project, Padare and the Centre for People Living with Aids, which all deal with gender and family issues.