Dorothy Wiebe, AIDS Prevention and Life Education, Zambia, addresses the serious concern of prevention complacency.

“As I was sitting and casually talking with one of the young girls the topic of AIDS came up and she said, “I’m tired of hearing about AIDS.” I asked if she felt she knew everything and she answered, “I know enough not to get it.” Often when we enter a school the administration will say that these people have come to talk about AIDS and instantly we see the students totally lose interest. When we say we have come to talk about issues such as love, sex and romance we regain their interest.

“Zambian youth think they have heard it all before and yet they are continuing to have unplanned pregnancies, contract STIs and contract HIV. Why? As we talk openly with the youth we see the shock on their faces as the Peer Educators bluntly talk about real issues that youth are dealing with. We see the understanding as the Facilitators share their own experiences. We see the remorse as we show the multiplication factor, demonstrating the connection that is made every time you sleep with someone and you can never know what everyone else is passing on to you. We see the hope as we talk about their dreams and future and what they can become. We see their wry laughter as they see the irony of how just 5 minutes of pleasure can decide their whole future for them.

“They understand all we are saying but the next day someone comes to hand out condoms and tells them it’s ok. Their friends tell them to prove that they are a real man or woman by having sex. They need money and sex is a quick easy way to get what you want. They are craving love and acceptance and think they will find it through sex. They believe that everyone is doing it.

“Yes, Zambian youth do know a lot about AIDS. They see it as something to spoil their fun and too serious when they want to enjoy love, sex and romance! Yet, there are those few whose eyes are latched on to the facilitators taking in every word and nodding in agreement and you know that for those few they will make the right choices and for the rest they may remember in time and some maybe too late.”