HIV/Aids: Using art to stamp out stigma

Several artists gathered at Panama Bar and Café in Remera, over the weekend to participate in a new initiative designed to enable people that are affected by HIV/Aids fight the stigma through visual arts.The initiative called, Kurema, Kureba, Kwiga, translating to “To Create, To See, To Learn,” is developed in a way of using visual arts for young people affected by the virus to express themselves and fight the stigma.According to Judith Kaine who is the initiator of the project, arts is a medium through which people can speak and that’s the reason she came up with the idea so that people can express themselves using arts as an alternative means of communication.“I feel good that arts are exposing people to critically think and debate issues that affect society. Arts speak for people and drawing creates awareness.”Artists from Ivuka Arts and Kigali Hope Association among others showcased their artistic skills through their drawings and paintings.Ntugisha Claude, a local painter said that everyone should talk about sex and HIV/Aids in order to remove the stigma associated with it. “People who are HIV positive are just like everyone else and gone are the days when they were stigmatised by the society. It’s high time we all use tools on our disposal to fight stigma and make other people be aware that we are all human beings, despite the conditions that afflict us.”Hillary Sheridan, who displayed a piece of drawing, called imperfection is perfection, said that it was good to have things that bring people together to talk and share ideas and create awareness about HIV/Aids while Uwera Odile of Ivuka Arts said that arts keep her busy and thus she doesn’t have time to engage in activities that may risk her contracting sexually transmitted diseases.Valentine Marina, a student of Lycee de Gisenyi said that arts explain things and through its aesthetic value it can be used to create beautiful images using colours that speak directly to people.

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HIV/Aids: Using art to stamp out stigma