Dance4Life - Inspiring Young People

Dance4Life is an exciting and innovative programme, launched in Zambia in January 2008 and being implemented by Students Partnership Worldwide (SPW). SPW is a youth-led NGO with the mission to place young people in the forefront of change and development, and has a partnership with Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) in Zambia. Dance4Life is a global movement that involves young people as leaders in pushing back HIV and AIDS. It also unites young people, using aspects of youth culture, particularly music and dance, to inspire them to take action and be the change they want to see.

To introduce the Dance4Life programme, a team of energetic young facilitators recruited from SPW’s ex-volunteer network, travelled to the 60 schools across Central Province in which SPW works. At each school the team conducted a “Heart Connection Tour” (HCT) – a 2 hour workshop that teaches the Dance4Life “drill” – a specific dance with words linked to the theme of HIV and AIDS. Other interactive methodologies are also used to give messages on HIV and AIDS, particularly raising awareness about the impact of stigma and discrimination.

One of the participants, a Grade 11 pupil from Kapiri Mposhi District, in the HCT explains that “Dance4Life involves sensitization through the “drill” which aims at alleviating HIV and AIDS”. He went on to say that the pupils have learnt a lot from the SPW/CYP volunteers about HIV and AIDS during the long term SPW programme, of which Dance4Life is an integral part.

During the HCT, many pupils were touched by the story of a young and beautiful lady on the Dance4Life tour team who is HIV positive - a Young Ambassador for Positive Living (YAPL). Her testimony sensitized pupils, teachers and community members who may think that being HIV positive is the end of life but the young lady from the Dance4Life team who spoke about being HIV positive made the people realise that being HIV positive is not the end of life.

On 29^th November 2008, Zambia will join 19 other countries worldwide in holding a Dance4Life Event that will celebrate the achievements of the young people involved in the Dance4Life programme. The Event will unite young people in Zambia and across the world, who will perform the Dance4Life “drill” at the same time with the same message, to push back HIV and AIDS.

For more information about the Dance4Life Event please contact:

Kate Pruce, Programme Coordinator Dance4Life, SPW Zambia

Cell: +260 977 684523

E-mail: kate.pruce@spw.org

For general information about SPW or Dance4Life please visit the following websites:

http://www.spw.org/ and http://www.dance4life.com/