Johannesburg – The Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest non-profit HIV/Aids health care provider in the world, on Thursday wrapped up its “Always in Fashion” awareness campaign.
AHF distributed 147 400 condoms and tested 3 761 people for HIV during the campaign and 69 people were diagnosed as HIV-positive at the six events held in three provinces.
“Our main objective with the Always in Fashion campaign is to change mindsets around condom-use."
“We targeted youth in the rural areas to find out why they do not use condoms and educate them to the benefits of using condoms in preventing not only HIV, but also unwanted pregnancies and STIs,” said Larissa Klazinga, the regional policy and advocacy manager for AHF South Africa.
“Throughout the week we interacted with community members and youth highlighting the benefits of condom-use, focusing not only on safety but also the fun aspects of safer sex, such as using various types of condoms to add variety, introducing lubricants to make sex more comfortable and pleasurable and finding creative ways to negotiate condom use."
"The response that we have received has been phenomenal.” Most importantly, the subject of sex and condoms was not taboo.