Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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New Vision (Kampala) - December 1, 2003
Jonathan Angura
The housemates, starting their HIV/AIDS awareness campaign, were attending a youth communication seminar on young people's involvement in HIV/AIDS activities.
The one-day seminar was organised by the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) and attracted youth from Uganda, Botswana, Zambia, Nigeria, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Esther Najjuma, an S.3 student from Kasana village in Bukoto sub-county, Masaka district, told the seminar that she lost her parents to AIDS.
Najjuma said she tested positive shortly after her parents died and was infected with the virus at birth. She gave a moving rendition of her life before and after the test, sending Cherise Makubale from Zambia, Tapuwa Mhere from Zimbabwe and Angola's Bruna Estivao into tears.
So moving was the testimony that Uganda's Gaetano Kaggwa, South Africa's Abby Plaatjes, Nigeria's Bayo and other delegates could not hold back their tears as the girl told the story of her life.
Other former BBA housemates present included Namibia's Stefan Ludhik, Botswana's Warona Masego, Malawi's Zein Dhuda, Alex Holi from Kenya and Mwisho Mwapamba from Tanzania.
The BBA stars arrived in Jinja in the morning under police escort to a rousing welcome.
Bayo said he decided to use the popularity he got from BBA to fight against HIV/AIDS because he lost a close friend to it.
He said before they went into the BBA House, all of them had to undergo HIV/AIDS test as a condition for joining the show and urged the youth to go for testing to know their status. Cherise called for non-discrimination against people with HIV.
"Let us love one another. Love is very important in our communities," she said.
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