KLASE TLELASE

My motive for doing this work is quite simple. I am HIV positive myself. When I found out about my status I was shocked and miserable. I really wanted to die. I didn’t know who to turn to and it was a very difficult time. I don’t want people to go through that and my personal experience helps me with this work.

Klase has been on treatment for three years. “ARVs are working for me,” he says. I’m healthy now and living positively.

Klase works for a local training company and trains shop stewards, supervisor and peer educators for ALAFA. So far more than 400 workers have been trained as peer educators. More than 70 peer educators have now also been trained on a second curriculum. The first curriculum focuses on HIV and AIDS issues such as prevention, information about transmission and living positively. The second curriculum focuses on the broader social issues fueling the spread of the disease, such as substance abuse and domestic violence, which is accompanied by a lack of assertiveness and difficulty in negotiating things like safe sex.

“Many of the apparel workers come from the rural areas and know very little about urban life, explains Klase. “Once they are here, they have money and start socializing. Often this involved drinking and leads to increased vulnerability with the possibility of unprotected sex.

“Often they know very little about HIV and AIS and I am grateful for the opportunity that I have through ALAFA to share my experience and help the textile workers.”