Hydro's first HIV/AIDS intervention program launched in South Africa
 CANDLES IN THE WIND: Candles were lit at the opening of Hydro and Kynoch's campaign against HIV/AIDS to signify what the future may bring. (Photo. Jarle Ree) |
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(Dec. 12, 2001) Wholly-owned Hydro company Kynoch Fertilizer in South Africa recently marked the kick-off of next year's awareness program on what has emerged as an important health issue. More than 250 employees attended the gathering, signalling great interest in getting information about the HIV/AIDS virus.
"The reason why AIDS is so hard to deal with is that it is a taboo subject. It deals with morality, religion, traditions and behavior. The stigma is overwhelming," explains Anja Wideburg, coordinator of the Kynoch HIV/AIDS program.
At Kynoch, where several employees are migrants, sixty percent of the workers are illiterate, making information tasks challenging. Until recently, there was little information about the disease circulating in public channel, so the people's awareness of the dangers of HIV is still perilously low.
The Kynoch HIV information campaign aims to create basic understanding about the issue and dispel widely-held myths about the disease. Through dialogue with employees, the six mixed-gender HIV task force hopes to encourage safe behaviour. Group work with employees will be conducted throughout next year.
"A safe lifestyle is part and parcel of the safety-focused company culture in Hydro," said Kynoch plant manager Bodo Götschel.
The kick-off meeting was held in an atmosphere of trust and openness. A central message was that those already infected deserve respect and care.
During a moment when the Roman Catholic Church Choir left the stage to light candles held by the audience, everyone was asked to reflect: "... will I be infected or affected by this deadly virus within the next five years?"
 ON STAGE: The Roman Catholic Church Choir |
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The Hecate Theatre Group of Johannesburg then presented an edutainment play, "Secrets and Lies," that humourously provided basic info about contraceptives and safety, as well as touching upon many social issues. The messages found an absorbed audience, which, during a Q&A round during the last part of the program, asked far more questions than there was time to answer.
The Kynoch HIV/AIDS program is the first of its kind in Hydro.
"It shows how Hydro as a company is taking responsibility for improving the lives of our employees and their families and as such creating an important awareness in the local community," says Camilla Nyhuus Christensen, corporate HIV-program coordinator, working within the Corporate Social Responsibility unit in Norsk Hydro, Oslo.
"The experience will also be useful in creating a general Hydro HIV policy and further strengthening our work in this area."
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