Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cresent Societies - 7 June 2000
The royal visit is in keeping with ARCHI 2010, an initiative by African Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to focus their efforts on public health priorities, with the most urgent being HIV/AIDS.
The Princess watched a young local dance troop called Amatodos deliver messages on safe behaviour and respect through the art of dancing. Amatados, whose name means "love everyone" in Portuguese, has travelled to many provinces of Mozambique and abroad since its creation in 1998.
In a country plagued with a high level of illiteracy, the Mozambican Red Cross has found that the combination of theatre and information sessions is the most effective way for their volunteers to pass information on HIV/AIDS to the local population. "Through sketches, dance and song, issues are presented in a way that is acceptable and understood, and most importantly in a way that the messages are kept," says Eunice Mucahe, programme coordinator for social welfare at the Mozambican Red Cross Society.
On Monday, Princess Astrid travelled to Boane and Estevel districts and met schoolchildren and villagers. She also witnessed what could be the most powerful tool in the battle against HIV/AIDS in Africa: Red Cross volunteers.
Although sketches performed by volunteers on mine awareness caused much laughter among the large crowd, the subject of HIV/AIDS brought much discussion. Health educators presented facts on the disease and its victims, information on safe lifestyles and most importantly on prevention of the disease.
Princess Astrid stressed the good work of the people involved in the fight against AIDS, but she could not refrain from showing her deep concern for the future. "Regardless of wealth or education, a generation of men and women is rapidly being decimated," she said. "Teachers, nurses, farmers, workers are equally becoming the victims of this pandemic. The response ought to be proportionate to the scale of the problem."
The ARCHI initiative implies the massive mobilization of the unique network of two million Red Cross/Red Crescent volunteers across Africa, who will take the battle against HIV/AIDS to the community level, where it will be won or lost.
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