Tausi Kazimbaya
Behavior Change Objective:
To disclose to her partner and to live positively and become a role model to confront stigma.
Behavior Change Overview:
Tausi (23) is the youngest child of Reverend and Mrs. Kazimbaya. A graduate of the performing arts college at Bagamoyo, Tausi is an extremely talented artist. She has a beautiful voice and sings Gospel in the church choir, often featuring as a soloist. During her university years, Tausi contracted HIV. Since her parents became aware of her status, Tausis life has come to a virtual standstill. They do not allow her to venture out much, so her activities revolve almost entirely around the church. Tausi knows that her father is ashamed of her, and this makes her life even more difficult. Over time, the Reverend learns to accept that his daughter is HIV positive and encourages her to live positively.
Tausis dream of making her own album was shattered by the knowledge that she was HIV+ and her life has never been the same since. She no longer believes she will be able to achieve her dreams. Her parents encourage her to devote her time and energies to God and the church, which she does with determination, but she is becoming restless and longs for a different life. Tausi has heard about the Homeboys band, and when Peter, band member and church acquaintance, tells her they need a female backup singer, she takes a big step by secretly rehearsing with the band. The band members know nothing of her status.
Much to the disappointment and concern of her parents, Tausi joins Homeboys and over time finds herself falling in love with Ima, one of the band leaders. Ima is completely taken with this young beauty, and instantly wants her for the band. He becomes obsessed with getting her into bed and cant understand why she wont sleep with him. Eventually Tausi discloses her status to him and the rest of the band, and, facing the consequences, becomes a role model for fighting stigma in her community.
Monika and Mainda
This is a story that is focused on the prevention of HIV transmission through open communication between parents and their children. Parents play an important role in equipping their children with information and values that will protect them from infection as they come of age. But the process works both ways. Children too need to be open and supportive, to encourage parents to help them get through the difficulties of transitioning from child to adult.
Monika (Mama Mainda)
Behavior Change Objective:
To nurture her daughters self worth during adolescence as a foundation for healthy growth, and to become a role model for other mothers by communicating openly with her daughter.
Behavior Change Overview:
Monika is the 37 year-old stepmother of band member Dula, and Maindas mother. Monika runs a modest dressmaking shop, and Monika, captivated by cosmetic beauty and material possessions, thinks braiding Maindas hair and making her look beautiful will impress her friends. But since puberty, all her grooming has started to backfire. A new sexuality is emerging. Mainda has become not just charming but flirtatious.
Over the first year, Monika will have to shift her attitude to realize that a womans inner beauty is based not on looks but on pride and self-worth. Over the years Monika has also become less and less interested in her husband and their home. She resents the fact that since Jabali retired from the music business, he no longer brings in any income. And she has given up completely on Dula, who became a troubled teen after his parents divorce. Monika, frustrated by what she perceives as Jabalis lack of discipline, spends more and more time at work.
Monikas journey to change will be facilitated by her realization that her own attitude contributes towards her childrens bad behavior, and that she has to make more of an effort to communicate with her husband and their children. She will begin to realize that Maindas sexual health depends largely on the girl having a stable home where family members respect each other and do not keep secrets from each other.
Mainda
Behavior Change Objective:
To cultivate a mutually respectful relationship with her mother that offers a safe and healthy passage through adolescence.
Behavior Change Overview:
Mainda, 14, is in Form 2. She is spoiled by her mother and adored by her father. But her father has very little influence on her. Mainda spends a lot of time with her mother. This makes them very close and co-dependent, but they also argue and bicker a lot. After school, Mainda often goes to her mothers workplace, Yasmins Arcade. While Monika is busy in her shop, Mainda will often wander over and talk to the women in Yasmin's hair dressing salon, where she is exposed to adult gossip, usually about men. While before men did not interest her at all, in the last year Mainda has become very interested in the attentions of the older boys at school.
Mainda loves to dress up and wants a career as a performer. So, when her brother Dula re-establishes the band, and she meets band member Imani, she immediately falls for him, and vows to make it into the band so they can do a duet. Imani is also knocked out by her. He is amazed that she is only 14 years old, but that does not stop him from wanting to sleep with her. Mainda will come to realize the importance of communicating with her parents, listening to them and learning from them. She will also learn that the real world is dangerous and sleeping around is not glamorous.
She can still be charming, beautiful and glamorous, but she must change her attitude towards men if she is to stay away from HIV.
Ray Mazimba
Radio Presenter and host of the show Mwale wa Jua
Behavior Change Objective:
To live positively on Anti Retroviral Therapy and to become a role model for popularizing attendance at CTCs in Tanzania.
Behavior Change Overview:
Born and raised in Kalumbi, Ray Mazimba (29) went to school with band members Ima and Dula. He was a couple years senior to them and recognizing their talent, initiated the original Homeboys band. Ray, his wife Mwangaza and their son, Baraka, moved back to Kalumbi recently when Ray was offered a job at the newly established Masifa FM radio station. Ray has a dream of making Tanzania the Mecca of World music. Hed like the east coast of Africa to have the same international vibe as West Africa. He loves everything from traditional to contemporary jazz and hip hop, and has a fantastic collection of music from across Africa.
Ray learned that he was HIV positive when his girlfriend (now wife), Mwangaza, fell pregnant five years ago. The benefit of testing early meant they were able to take advantage of PMTCT and deliver a healthy HIV negative son, Baraka, now four years old.
Mwangaza is practical, organized, and a very committed and loving wife and mother. She will model positive living and how to maintain a healthy CD4 count. Her story will be about the benefits of delaying ART for as long as possible. Ray, on the other hand, will need to begin ART early in the drama. Ray will model the challenges of learning to live with these life-enhancing drugs, and learning to fight the urge to drink alcohol as his health deteriorates.
Initially Ray and Mwangaza will keep their HIV status a secret from the community. Over the course of two years, they will learn that by disclosing their status, they can be role models of positive living. Their examples will serve to reduce the fear, misinformation and stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS in their community.
