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2006/2007: Abstinence and “Faithfulness”

Summary of fellowship

Suzanne, Mike and Sabelo have investigated the prevention approach of “Abstinence and Faithfulness” through a series of articles. Their work considered whether abstinence is a viable strategy in the face of social issues such as poverty, sexual violence and inequality. Their research also raised questions as to whether the increase in the sales of fidelity-protection medicines is connected to the HIV epidemic, and if churches are doing all they can to communicate effective messages around HIV.

Fellows

Suzanne Leclerc-Madlala

Biography:

Suzanne Leclerc-Madlala (2007) has been working as a lecturer in South Africa since 1986. She has done extensive research in the area of HIV/AIDS over the past decade, and has been actively involved in training and in evaluating HIV/AIDS interventions in KwaZulu-Natal. Her publications include numerous academic articles, as well as many articles written for print media. She has also appeared on radio and television in South Africa (2007).

Mike Saneka

Biography:

Mike Saneka is a practised HIV/AIDS researcher, who also has experience writing for the NGO sector in KwaZulu-Natal. He has worked extensively with traditional healers in an attempt to bridge the gap between the traditional and western approaches to HIV/AIDS (2007).

Sabelo Zondo

Biography:

Sabelo Zondo is an MA student doing research in socio-cultural constructions and meanings of male circumcision in KwaZulu-Natal . She has contributed pieces to Isolezwe, and wants to see the media adopting a less complicated take on HIV/AIDS so that less-sophisticated people will better understand the issues that are facing us in South Africa.

Outputs

Wits Journalism Anova Health

The project is jointly managed by the Anova Health Institute and the Journalism and Media Studies Programme at the University of the Witwatersrand, and supported by the Health Communication Partnership based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Centre for Communication Programmes and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS relief through the United States Agency for International Development under terms of Award No. JH/HESA-02-05.

USAID