HIV and reproductive health in Braille

Straight Talk Foundation, a health communication non-governmental organization introduced a publication that will educate young visually impaired adults on HIV and other reproductive health problems.

The 150 copies of young talk in Braille material, which the blind can read, have already been distributed to 29 primary schools and partners organizations for the visually impaired.

Martha Akello, the print manager Straight Talk Uganda said the Young Talk publications would enable the visually impaired young adults to access information on HIV/AIDS like other normal children.

Richard Anguyop, the director Uganda National Association for the Blind (UNAB) said that there has not been enough information on HIV disseminated among the blind people in Uganda.

Naturally they are disadvantaged because they cannot see if a person looks healthy or not. So the girl child especially, is very vulnerable because most of them end up single mothers, the majority are not taken on as wives.

Anguyop said in schools the visually impaired children, are ignored by the Matrons or housemothers because they think they are not sexually active. Most of families take them to be celibate too so they are not given sexual education.

“As adults besides the audio advertisements, that they can listen to, they can not see the posters or the television adverts, which undermines their knowledge on HIV.”

None of the adverts is targeted at the visually impaired, there was no HIV information in Braille, said Anguyop.

During the pretest of the Young Talk Braille at Salama School, one of the schools for the visually impaired, excited pupils were eager to read the publication.

“We have been hearing other children talk about interesting and educative stories in Straight Talk and Young Talk. We did not know that one day we shall also get this opportunity, said Nakiranda a Primary Seven Pupil at Salama.

The Ministry of Education has been giving basic information on HIV/AIDS to blind children in primary schools through the PIASCY program. 

The lack of this information was isolating them from accessing HIV and sexuality programmes designed for the general public.

Unfortunately, for a long time they have been left in the backyard when it comes to sexual reproductive health and related issues such as HIV/AIDS. The end result is known: failing policies and campaigns to combat the HIV problem, said Fred Ouma, a trainer with Straight Talk.   

Uganda Aids Commission does not have figures of how many of the Uganda visually impaired population is HIV infected but the ministry of Health estimates that 240,000 Ugandans are blind, while a million are partially blind.

The publication addresses issues like HIV/AIDS prevention education, virginity, body changes like menstruation and wet dreams as well as sexual abuse. It is targeting 10-19 year olds.

“Given their unique needs and the fact that they too are a contributing factor to any problem that affects a man, we felt there was an urgent need to provide an innovative forum to promote accessibility to information about HIV/AIDS and other related issues by visually impaired persons,” said Ouma.

Straight Talk has also trained 60 peers educators and formed disability awareness centers on HIV. That way, the educators can enable students’ get the messages in the publication clearly with guidance.

The project started late last year and is only operational in four districts of Uganda due to limited funding.

“It is a development that has been appreciated by government and donor community,” said Ouma. The publication was funded by CORDAID.