“Our objective is to engage young producers with a new vision so that they can produce programmes that promote a culture of understanding, tolerance, and respect especially for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS,” said Firdoze Bulbulia, Director of the Children and Broadcasting Foundation, hosting the event. “But we also want to make sure that this vision does not become isolated and can be shared throughout the African continent, and if possible throughout the world.”

The setting of this project is the Sizanani Village which hosts the St. Joseph Care and Support Centre for persons living with AIDS, a hospice for the terminally ill, various care programmes-- prevention, home-based, voluntary counselling and testing, anti-retroviral – and care for orphans. Ricus Dullaert, an HIV/AIDS expert, activist, fundraiser and Lay Catholic Minister, will lead the young delegation through the Village and help them conceptualise and articulate their production work along with Faith Isiakpere a renowned director/producer.

The participant profile is diverse ranging from news editors to communication officers – all engaged in producing, broadcasting or exchanging television programmes. They are in their mid- to late-twenties.

“I am attending the workshop because I would like to share my experience in producing the only youth-oriented HIV/AIDS documentary programme on Botswana TV and because my country is the highest hit in the world,” said Tiro from Botswana.

Patience is the recently appointed Africa Project Coordinator of the South African Broadcasting Corporation and hopes to play a key role both at work and during the workshop by creating strategies that will ensure a proper exchange of broadcast programmes in Southern Africa.

This and subsequent workshops are expected to result in a Global Network of Young TV Producers on HIV/AIDS -- to share a common vision, exchange productions, and demonstrate young people’s leadership in fighting AIDS through public service broadcasting.

The countries involved in Southern Africa’s You, Me and HIV/AIDS workshop include Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.