ORIENTATION Week saw Student HIV/Aids Resistance Campaign (Sharc) members hitting Grahamstown’s streets promoting safe sex by handing out condoms and staging a drama production dealing with social issues and misconceptions regarding HIV/Aids.
ORIENTATION Week saw Student HIV/Aids Resistance Campaign (Sharc) members hitting Grahamstown’s streets promoting safe sex by handing out condoms and staging a drama production dealing with social issues and misconceptions regarding HIV/Aids.
Sharc has also been conducting four workshops with first year students since Orientation Week began. “The workshops are a bit different this year compared to previous years.
Before, we would send peer educators to each residence, but this year the first years are divided into groups consisting of three dining halls,” said Nicole Viljoen, Sharc President.
Each of these groups attended a performance by Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company entitled Risky Business which opens eyes to unsafe sexual practices after which the groups were broken up for one-on-one workshops.
“The condom handout which we conducted on Monday 1 February was a great success,” said Viljoen. “I would like to stress is that workshops and the condom handouts that we conduct are in no way intended to promote sex.
Sharc does not promote sex. Sharc promotes safe sex.” The society does not assume that everyone is sexually active, nor do they wish to discourage those who are not to become so, but seeks to educate people about the risks involved in unprotected sex and the various means available to protect themselves from
contracting HIV/Aids.
This evening, Sharc will have a stall at the SRC Societies Extravaganza, where students will be able to find out more about Sharc, its history, portfolios and projects and on Saturday students will have the opportunity to put into practice the skills taught to them during these
workshops.
