GAY AND LESBIAN ASSOCIATION SOWETO HIV-AIDS COUNSELLORS ASSOCIATION (SOHACA) MD INTERVIEW

Record ID: 882732

  • Title: GAY AND LESBIAN ASSOCIATION SOWETO HIV-AIDS COUNSELLORS ASSOCIATION (SOHACA) MD INTERVIEW
  • Date: 1st June 2004
  • Summary: GAY AND LESBIAN ASSOCIATION SOWETO HIV-AIDS COUNSELLORS ASSOCIATION (SOHACA) MD INTERVIEW
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords:
  • Access Restrictions:This media cannot be downloaded as there may be copyright restrictions. Please contact us for more information
  • City: Johannesburg
  • Country: South Africa
  • Reuters ID: 04JUN01R02
  • Story Text:GAY AND LESBIAN ASSOCIATION

    SOWETO HIV-AIDS COUNSELLORS ASSOCIATION (SOHACA)
    MD INTERVIEW

    00.00.09 SOUNDBITE OF THULANI MHLONGO, FOUNER AND MD OF SOHACA:
    " And then what happened is, after, within the leaders Gay and Lesbian Associatin that was run some of them did experience some discrimination of some sort, so they have decided to initiate Township as a project. As a program that willl target or focus on th ecommunity at large, but specifically at to target gays and lesbians within the township.
    Within them, e.g. Samuel Koli, the blackman, unfortunately he died of HIV AIDS. Samuel Koli he was a counsellor and he used ot meet sosme gay men who used to consult to him as far as HIV and AIDS is concerned. And through some blacklesbian and gay men then as concerned they decided to initiate Township AIDS Project. So fortunately along the years I happened to be one of the volunteers of GLO, because I had to join GLO in terms of dealing with my coming out then, as a black young gay man, I had to join GLO. And then fortunately through the passion that I have in terms of working with the community, especially my concern about the young gay men, who would be coming for us. I was worried about them, I twas my concern, so I had to join GLO, and through GLO I have develop love for counselling, so that's wher everything started. So myself and my friend Pauly Motine, (pointing to the photo on the wall), we were allocated or we were told that we need to join Township Aids Project, because Township Aids Project was a program of GLO. So we were asked to do some voluntary work on this Township Aids Project. So fortunately again along the way, the years thorugh my part-time education I became one of the program coordinators, especially during the GPHF, which is a Gay People Head Forum. GPHF was a program within the Township Aids Project, it was only focussing mainy on gays and lesbians. So through that and though the support group that I was facilitating and through my part-time education, we, myself and the group we have decided then to move form Township Aids Project. But most specifically it wasn't that alone, it was some officials within the organization, especially the Director."
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
Register