Roses, music in the air, holding hands, fancy dinners, poetry and glamorous dresses are one of the very many special things that people think about when you talk of Valentine’s Day. You will be surprised at what we think about, perhaps the narration below will make you understand our valentine thoughts!
On the 14th of February 2017 at exactly 5:30am the team together with the 2017 peer educators was on the road headed to Mayuge District for a Cinema kind of love dubbed #LoveMukibanda. Being our 2nd community outreach this year, we were excited to perform even better than the previous one (#Voices4Health) offering free family planning services, free valentine’s day gift hampers, free Sexually Transmitted Diseases screening and treatment and free HIV/AIDS testing and counseling.
By 9am we had arrived at Busuyi Landing Site, joining the rest of the team and our partners including Uganda Health Marketing Group, Restless Development , Family Life Education Program , Yimba Uganda that had already been at the venue preparing for the event . Surprisingly the place was already crowded with very excited people moving from tent to tent and exhibitors already at the venue.
The peer educators now taking on field work for the second time were ready and they headed for the field with some staff members as soon as they were briefed and given equipment to use in the door to door mobilization. During the mobilization the peer educators demonstrated on how to use both the male and female condoms, they answered the numerous questions from the locals on contraceptive use and side effects, they also talked to them on the importance of knowing one’s status.
At around 3:30pm a costa full of our partners from the Get Out Speak Out Program steering committee arrived and stirred up the area. Guided by staff members they toured around the place, visited all the service tents and interacted with the locals.
At 4:30PM it was edutainment time, the locals gathered around the stage, eagerly anticipating the performances and their hopes were not let down as our cultural icons led by the MC Ronnie McVexx blazed the stage with energy, talent and love! The performing cultural icons were Geosteady and Nutty Neithan who were also joined by artists and Maro. as well as our partner Community Based Organization +256 Youth Platform who set the crowds on fire.The performances were then followed by the long awaited valentine movie, Shuga which was live on the big screen translated by none other than VJ Junior, Marysmart Matovu a celebrated video jockey!
Even good things come to an end, at around 8:30pm we were wrapping up the day with wide smiles on our faces.What a successful valentine’s day, to be able to achieve our targets and leave the people asking for more. Tukyikole neera! #LoveMukibanda
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aids community hiv LoveMukibanda testing and counselling valentine's day Voices4Health