Last Wednesday (1st December) was World AIDS Day. The HIV team and me took a break from our normal schedule and made the two hour drive to Kinango to take part in the community AIDS Day celebrations.
It was a great day full of dancing, singing and dramas, all performed by people from the local community. Each performance contained a message about HIV and AIDS. My favourite performance came from a men’s group who wore imaginative costumes and performed a number of dances, including one of a man playing a woman giving birth! There was also a drummer who was able to carry his huge drum using just his mouth!
It was great to see the topic of HIV being addressed with refreshing positivity and enthusiasm. People living with HIV in this community face an ongoing battle with stigma and discrimination so days like this are so 
important to raise awareness and encourage the community to support and accept each regardless of whether they are living with HIV.
important to raise awareness and encourage the community to support and accept each regardless of whether they are living with HIV. Wednesday felt like a particularly hot day so I was grateful to have a seat in the shade to enjoy the performances and speeches. Of course one thing about the day was very ordinary; it ran on Kenyan time and as a result was four hours behind schedule. As we sat down at 2pm the speaker scheduled for 10am took to his feet!
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