Remember the HIV basics

•HIV is a virus. A person with

Straight Talkers,
HIV has the virus in all their
Do you want a job?
body fluids but most If you are aged 18-21
concentrated in their blood, and speak and write
semen and/or vaginal fluids. Lukonzo, Ateso,
•HIV infection leads to AIDS.
Kupsabiny, Lugbara
HIV cannot be removed from or Madi, send
the body. Its multiplication
can only be controlled by
your CV to PO
ARVs. Box 22366
•To prevent HIV, we need to
Kampala.
change how we think about
sex. For example, boys do
not need sex, and if they
08
start having sex, they do not mber 20
9. Septe
l. 14 No.
need more than one sexual
partner. Vo
Read more HIV basics next month!

Teens with
disability
h a v e r i g h t s
“People ignore me even when it is an If so, remember those feelings before you laugh, tease
important issue to the whole community. or mistreat someone who is living with a disability.
Nobody asks for my opinion. They think I do
not reason because I move in a wheelchair.” Empathise
Faridah Nandawula 19, S5, Masaka People with disabilities have rights to be
SS respected just like you do. Take action and
support them. Make a difference in their
Like Faridah, many young people are lives. Go out of your way to support them.
living with disabilities. They are often They need empathy and not sympathy.
mistreated and denied what a child
without a disability may get. Sympathy is a kind of useless pity. In contrast,
empathy is putting yourself in the shoes of
Like any other child, a teenager with others and trying to truly understand how
disabilities has a right to education, they feel.
health, food, clean environment, to Choose not to
socialize and be listened to • tell jokes about them
• stare at them
People with disabilities (PWDs) are • exploit them sexually.
human like you
They love and want to be loved. It is If you are disabled, you have a right to
important to treat them the way you respect. Do not have self-pity. Be determined
would love to be treated. Make friends and study hard. Many disabled people haveha
with them. made it in life.
Aidat Nabukalu is deaf
We e are all different in some way. -- she cannot hear at all -- For more on disability, contact:
It could be because of tribe, class •NUDIPU, PO Box 8567, Plot
or economic income. Now think yet she was the first runner up
for Miss Uganda in 2004-5. She 530, Kisaasi Rd, Kampala.
about a time when you were
treated badly because you are says she has an inner inspiration to •Uganda Society for
different. How did it feel? Did it attempt all those things that people Disabled Children, PO Box
leave you with bad memories, without disabilities try to do. 16346, Plot 1 Kanjokya St,
anger or sadness? Kampala.

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Barack Obama is running for In the village, women who speak out “People call me ‘Kolobba’ and ‘Butcherman’
president of the United States.
are often said to be rumour mongers because I have a problem with my leg
or behaving like "men". How can a from polio. But I get love at home and my
The elections are on woman make suggestions without
November 6. All the world friends treat me well. I want to be a lawyer
being seen as too assertive and not or teacher.
is watching. Obama, 46, womanly? Does your mother openly
is a brilliant lawyer. His I have sexual feelings like any other
offer ideas? What happens? Tell us adolescent. I manage them by avoiding
father was Kenyan and the story.
his grandmother lives just the person I have feelings for.” Nabwami
What about your Dad? Is he a ruler
nearby in Kisumu! or leader for you? Rosette, 16, S2, Misanvu SS, Masaka

Straight Talk will give

Obama's book to 20
readers who send in
Send letters to
honest and insightful PO Box 2236 6,
Kampala.
letters about the
following:
2 Straight Talk, September 2008

Teens with disability have dreams too

“We are four children. My Do to others as you so we can communicate with
family thinks that because I am would have them people who cannot hear. Sign
deaf, I cannot be useful. They do to you. Include language uses hand, head, face
do not want to waste money classmates and eye movements to spell out
on me and do not give me what with disabilities in words. It is interesting, can give
games when possible. you career opportunities and is
I need for school. My brothers
and sisters get everything they taught at Uganda National Institute
need. ” Kwizera, 19, Masaka of Special Needs Education,
School for Children with Kyambogo.
Special Needs
Second, we can encourage
Yes, life can be harsh for teens adolescents with disabilities to enrol
with disabilities. Uganda has about and stay in school. Government has
1,200,000 disabled young people secondary schools for students with
of whom only 10,236 attend disabilities, including.
secondary or vocational school.
• Kyambogo College School,
Negris Onen is Principal Educa- Kampala (Mental retardation/
tion Officer for Special Needs Blind)
Education at the Ministry of • Mvara SS, Arua (Blind)
Education. He says: "Severely • Angal Secondary, Nebbi (Deaf)
mentally-disabled teens are taught • Sir Apollo Kaggwa SS, Mu-
skills of day to day life like dressing kono (Blind)
up, brushing their teeth and toilet • Wakiso Special SS for the
manners." Deaf
If you are disabled, your teachers dormitory dirty because I crawl • Iganga SS (Blind)
only have to contact UNEB in good when moving. The toilets at school • Ngora School for the Deaf
There is also special support for are dirty. I put sandals on my hands
those who cannot see. "In na- time to let them know what kind of • St Francis SS for the Blind,
disability you have, and you get when entering there. But Soroti
tional exams, the blind get exams in my knees and clothes get
braille, (raised dots on paper with an extra 30 minutes to do your • Kangole Secondary School
exam." dirty!" (Blind)
which they read with their fingers).
If they are not completely blind, How we
they can have exams written in If you have a physical disability,
you can attend any school near can help
large letters." First, we can have
you as long as you can hear
and see. But notes Onen sadly, empathy. Would you like
Adds Onen: "We also have voice to crawl around a toilet?
recordings those who cannot write. the poor attitudes of other stu-
dents and teachers often cause
young people with disabilities Second, we can be
to drop out. helpful. For example, A B
Temporarily able ! blind people often use a
of us most Big challenge white stick to find where
Did you know that y able"? to go. If they for help to
ly "te m po ra ril For sure school can be tough
are on is a cross a road, let them
Yes! Each one of uswaiting. for youth with disabilities.
hold your elbow and
disabled pe rs on in Faridah Nandawula, an S5
become follow you. Do not push
At anytime we can ed student in Masaka SS, was born
them ahead of you - that F G
permanently di sa bl with damaged legs.
or an is very dangerous!
through sickness
She told Straight Talk: Some sign language letters
accident! We can also learn sign language
"Students tell me that I make the

We can prevent
ities
most dischcarafbt built alw Don't laugh, don't tease
ays has a
wit
Disability is never due to In Luganda and Ateso, words such as "kasiru" (Lu-
en tific cau se. Pau l Ka jub i of the Uganda Society for are
sci es ganda) or "ebang" (Ateso) are used to refer to the
e most common disabiliti
Disabled Children says, "Th palsy and epilepsy." deaf and dumb (those who cannot hear and as a
ral
physical disabilities, cereb result cannot speak). Unfortunately these words mean
ge. They "fool". Furthermore, mothers often call their disabled
sy are forms of brain dama
Cerebral palsy and epilep brain lacks oxygen or is handled children names like ‘Kisirani’, the Swahili/Luganda
s
can happen when a baby' laria or word meaning "misfortune".
th or wh en the baby gets severe ma
roughly during bir
gitis.
other infection like menin Naturally people are empathetic. But their culture
ldren and environment can make them harsh. Any child
abilities by protecting chi
We can prevent 80% of dis d feeding children well, and growing up where such unpleasant words are used
an
from malaria, immunising supervi- will struggle to love, support or welcome disabled
birth safely under medical
making sure mothers give people.
sion.
you are Treating people with disabilities
, start your sexual life when ver at
Girls, to prevent disability it (ne in a nasty way shows that you
liver in a good health un
in a position to always de by. Boys, take note too. have limited knowledge and
r ba
home) and care for you awareness.
You will look queer if you
No self-pity ther cook, laugh at or mock people with It is not good to laugh or mock
o
"I help my m slash and disabilities. PWDs. They did not choose to
wash clothes, t feel pity be in that state. Instead assist
sweep. I do no e using them where possible.
lik
for myself. I
compute rs , d rumming and
ant to be
volleyball. I w person
D isability is seen as a bad omen to
the family or community. People
with Disabilities (PWDs) are consid-
Monica Monge, Headteacher, Cornerstone
Cor Lead-
e r ership Academy for Young Women, Matugga.
like any oth look ered a source of shame. Most people
who is able to es.” are not comfortable relating with Cornerstone provides free education to 60 girls
lv
after themse , them. This influences people to avoid in A levels each year. If you are an exceptional
Kaliisa Gerald d them and jeer at them. young woman in S4 who is making a contri-
e
18, S5, Bless , bution to her community but cannot afford A
e nt S S
Ourrelate
S a cr a m cultures determine how we levels, please apply. Write to Cornerstone, PO
Kimanya with PWDs. Box 9242, Kampala.
 3 Straight Talk, September 2008

Sex pests: a problem

for disabled girls
S
exual exploitation and lack of
information about sex and HIV
are big problems for young
people with disabilities, especially
the girls.
“Girls with disabilities are meant to
believe that they should be grateful
if anyone asks them for sex,” says
Irene Mirembe, who works on
HIV at National Union of Disabled
Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU).
A NUDIPU report says that "sex
pests" often use females with
disabilities at night while denying
their links with them in daylight.
"Some of these pests go to the
extent of claiming that by having
sex with them they are only helping
them," notes the report with
indignation.
Straight Talk boys, we know that
Hey
lkers
h t Ta
Straig er be a
nev
est"!
"sex p
you would never do such a thing.
Sexually using girls with disabilities
is wrong and undignified. You are a
better person than that.
Wrong beliefs
Betty Kwagala, a TASO counselor
who herself has a physical disability,
says that certain false beliefs make
young people especially vulnerable
to HIV.
"People assume wrongly that if
someone has sex with a virgin, he
will get cured of the HIV virus. This
has put many disabled girls at risk
since most people assume they are
A sex pest in action! Girls, shout, scream and use your stick or
virgins.”
crutch to strike the man. You can also vomit or spit to disgust
Another problem is the wrong the man. Communities, come to the defence of such girls.
belief that disabled people do not
have sex or sexual feelings. Imagine, a blind teenager who has GYC counselor who knows sign
never seen a condom: condom language: "They need a lot of HIV
Says NUDIPU's Irene Mirembe: instructions are not in braille. awareness but they are also very
"Young people with disabilities are determined."
often left out from sex education The good news is that PIASCY is
because society thinks they do not now in braille for blind youth. Also,
have feelings or sex and so they at Gulu Youth Centre, Straight Talk
can not get HIV. Yet everyone has now gives sex and HIV education to
,
sexual feelings and many young adolescents who are deaf.
people with disabilities do have
sex." "We find that they have had
no opportunity to express their
CHALLENGES & HOPE emotions or stress because they
Teenagers who cannot see or hear can't speak. They suffer quietly in
may not even know that there is fear of going to health centres," says
a virus called HIV. Adolescents GYC chief counselor Denis Akena, A nurse uses sign language
with disabilities may never have who taught himself sign language. to explain the importance of
heard about being assertive and delaying sex to a boy who
managing sexual feelings. Adds Charles Arum, another cannot hear well.

Sexual feelings are normal Speak out for PWDs WOW,

MEXICO!
Just like any adolescent, teenagers with dis- Straight Talkers, help teens with Two
abilities have sexual desires. Those feelings Straight
disability get HIV/sex education from Talk staff
do not mean you have to have sex. Sex a senior woman teacher, PIASCY, attended
feelings start in the brain. You can be the Straight Talk or NGO near you. the world
AIDS
boss of those feelings. meeting
Speak out if a disabled youth being t.
in Augus
abused. The most-at-risk are the We learn
t
I manage my sexual feelings by physically and mentally-disabled girls that we
reading books and listening to the who are left alone at home in the day. must do
music of Mesach Semakula. more to
Nobody at home treats Tell the LC control
HIV in
me badly because I am or police if urban
A cartoon ofin Mexico, Africa.
blind. I want to become unscrupulous adolescents Latin The
an engineer," Proscovia people use them a country in great str uggle
a w ith s!
continue
sexually. By the Am er ic st
va
Nantayi, 17, Misanvu way, boys are too wealth but al
so
SS, Masaka poverty.
sexually abused.

At Yeffe High School, Mukono,

students told Straight Talk about their
friends and schoolmates with disabil-
ity. Some had shocking stories.
We refuse to mistreat disabled youth
Namuyomba Betty, 17, S3 One evening I was going to the A friend of mine got paralysed
Editor: Such a teacher should market. I met a group of boys gang
SHOCKING! be dismissed. raping a lame girl. The girl was cry-
from the waist down to the legs.
But she gets all the love that she
In another school I had a class- ing helplessly. She could not fight
mate with a short arm. When she needs and this has
We stay with a deaf boy back. helped her continue
performed poorly whose mother has ne-
in mathematics, the with her studies. Let's
glected him. Neighbors I got a stick and hit the avoid discriminating
teacher would say: do not want him to play boy who was on her.
“That is why God gave people with disabili-
with their children. They They ran away and left ties because we are
you one and a half say that their children her crying. Karugaba
hands.” Sometimes all equal. Neumbe
may end up deaf. Yet Kennedy, 18, S5. Editor: Sylvia 21, S5. Editor:
he would promise to that is not true. Mukae That is good Kennedy.
break the arm that Thanks for those
Moreen 17, S5. Editor: That girl needed PEP fine words. Maybe
was normal. The girl You are right. Deaf- to protect her from
dropped out of school you could train as
ness is not conta- HIV. Shame on those a special needs
because she could not gious. Educate your boys.
stand it any more.” teacher.
neighbours.
4 Straight Talk, September 2008

it affect me? Ayamo P, Kamod

Township SS, Soroti

Dear
The vagina has the ability to clean
itself if it is not interfered with.
The non-smelling normal vagina

SYFA
P. O . Bo x 22 36 6
K A M P A L A
Your questions
answered by
Beatrice
Bainomugisha,
STF Counselor,
Pores in condoms
I heard that the condom has tiny
pores through which the HIV can
enter. Is this true? Amin B, 15,
Comboni Comp College, Moyo
No, Amin, it is not true. Condoms
are made to guard against HIV and
other STIs and pregnancy. They do
this prevention well for those who
follow instructions and use them
every time. They do not have pores
through which the virus can pass.
Dad and me
My dad got a new wife after sepa-
rating with my mum. Since then he
does not want to take me to school.
This term I was lucky because some
friends of his advised him to bring
me back. But he sent me to school
without anything, not even soap.
What can I do? AE, S4, Masindi
High School
My dear AE, sorry about your situ-
ation. Two things seem to be hap-
pening: First your father seems to
have a negative attitude towards you
resulting from his separation with
your mother. Secondly you seem
to have a negative attitude towards
your dad and his new wife (your
step mother). The two of you need
to talk things over and sort out your
feelings. Get family friends to guide a
talk between you and your father.
She loves someone else
There is a girl I love in our school.
Ndagire Sumaya, S3,
Neumbe Sylivia and Najjuma
Shamim, S5, Yeffe High
School in Seeta, Mukono.
They read this ST before we
printed it and advised us.
I told her and she said she had a
boyfriend. I cannot get her out of my
mind. It is over a year now and I have
been patient but there is no sweet
success. Editor, I love her. KD,19,
Kinoni Integrated SS, Masaka
KD, it is common to love someone
who does not love you. We know it
hurts, but one full year is too long for
you to hope that she will return your
love. She loves someone else. Would
you like to have your lover loving
two people? Turn your thoughts
away from her. Do not become a
nuisance to her or yourself. Give
yourself time to get over her.
Washing the vagina
If I wash my vagina with soap, will
discharge is what helps to clean it.
If you wash it with soap (especially
medicated ones like dettol, mekako,
asepso, protex), you risk destroying
the positive bacteria which keep the
vagina safe from infections like can-
dida. So Ayamo, do not use soap
inside the vagina and do not push
fingers inside your vagina to wash
it. They too can cause infection.
How to tell my girlfriend I
have HIV
I am HIV positive and I have a girl-
friend who is HIV negative. We go to
different schools but when we meet
she pressures me to have sex. We
have never had sex before and I do
not want to infect her. Now I have re-
sorted to dodging appointments that
we make to meet. I love and trust
this girl. I do not want to lose her. My
mother tells me I should tell her my
HIV status but I am confused, I do
not know how to start. Please help
me. I am worried. AR, 17, Dokolo
Progressive School
AR, you are so great! You have true
love for your girlfriend and would
hate to infect her. Your mother is
right. Open up and disclose to your
girlfriend that you have HIV. Being
open will set your mind free and
prepare you for your girlfriend’s
reaction. Visit a counselor together
to help with the disclosure.

PEP: No more HIV after rape! Write in and win OR discuss in your club
Enough is enough. Let’s have no more HIV after rape. sex with men like those in 27-45?
Straight Talkers, if you are forced into sex, do not sit in fear Straight Talkers, help the L Midadi, 16
that you have been infected. Go straight to a health students of Mayira Modern SS, Why do boys use us for a short
Mbiriizi. Best letters to PO Box
unit and ask for PEP. This stands for Post Exposure time? J Nanyonyo,16
Prophylaxis (PEP). These are ARVs which prevent 22366 Kampala win prizes. I humbly want to know if I play sex
the HIV from taking root in your body. Mayira SS, we will visit you in for only one time can I
2009! get AIDS?
Go as fast as possible, preferably within the first Why do girls remove pregnancy when Y Najjuma, 16
24 hours after the rape. Make PEP your priority. they are still studying? H Namuli, 15
Then go to police. Why do I have rash near my vagina
when I am still a virgin girl?
Under government policy, PEP is free at Mulago, D Namutebi, 17
district hospitals and health centres with ARVs. If I use a condom, can my virginity
You can also get it at Naguru Teenage Centre, Joint break? Z Nalunkuse, 16
Clinical Research Centre, Gulu Youth Centre and TASO. Why do girls leave their level and have

STAR ST pC LUB
New youth working for YOU at Straight Talk rehensive,
m
Rackoko Co ks for your
Th a n
We are proud to time. I am a gospel PADER: es.
announce our new a n s w e rs and stori
artist besides my work condom m a’s
ing you Oba
host for the English at Straight Talk. My We are send m Youth Centre
gu
Straight Talk radio radio show is on 17 book and Kit t’s a
u in 2009. Tha
show. (Charmaine stations so it is a big will visit yo mise.
pro
has gone to campus. responsibility. Please
Good luck, baby!) listen, write in and tell
The new presenter me how I am doing. ” CALLING MUKURA MEMORIAL
is Ivan Tendo, KUMI
Hi, Francis Omesa. We got
20, is a first year We are also thrilled your letter. Thanks. We will
at Kyambogo to announce that check with your post office
University, studying Princess Nuru Kisitu, to find out why your Straight
guidance and 22, is now helping to Talks are delaying.
counseling. He answer your letters.
says: “I was in Princess is also YFRIEND
A T C H F O R GIRL/BO ST
a relationship studying counseling W NOV
but it ended and guidance: She LET TERS IN t L awrence,
a o f S
when I realised says: “I have been J Kunihir nge, you win
Kamwe our
my feelings for in a relationship for book for y
Obama’s agree. Open
the girl were two years. We are abstaining and always advise each other letter. We on and honour
ati
not romantic though we are on how to get over difficult circumstances. I am new to communic the key.
still friends. Also, pursuing my ambitions left me little Straight Talk but enjoying it.” are

STRAIGHT TALK FOUNDATION: Plot 4 Acacia Avenue, Kololo, P. O. Box 22366, Tel: 0312-262030, 0312-262031, 0414-530088 Kampala (U), Fax: 0414-534858, E-mail: strtalk@straight-talk.
or.ug, strtalk@imul.com, Web: www.straight-talk.or.ug Director: C. Watson, Communication Director: T. Agutu, Editorial Manager: E. Kimuli, Editors: G. Awekofua, M. Akello, D. Agaba, J. Abongowath.
Designers: G.B Mukasa, M.eB Kalanzi, A.B Dentine Funded by DANIDA, DFID, SIDA, Printer: The New Vision