dance4life Germany

dance4life is a dynamic international initiative which actively involves young people and gives them a powerful voice in the response to HIV and the stigma and taboos that surround it. dance4life uses dance, music and youth icons to attract young people and talk to them in their own language, encouraging them to learn more about HIV and AIDS. dance4life connects with youth using dance, music, their peers, and with a language and spirit that inspires and unites them. Through positive, fun and powerful workshops dance4life helps youth break down taboos regarding sexuality and HIV and AIDS. Moreover, dance4life gives youth the skills and opportunity to take action themselves and will bring change to their friends, families and communities. Inspiration. Empowerment. Action. These make dance4life a unique approach to stop HIV and AIDS worldwide. Reaching almost 500,000 youth in 20 countries since its start in 2004, dance4life is the only international organization that initiates and coordinates a global movement for youth to take action and stop the threat of HIV and AIDS. dance4life is “re-branding” the way we address the AIDS pandemic and builds an active movement of youth for social change! Strategies for success – 4 activities that create real impact dance4life teams travel to schools bringing the following 4 upbeat and life changing activities to hundreds of thousands of youth in schools: 1. Inspire and ignite interest This is the first time most youth have an opportunity to talk and ask questions about sex in an open and safe way with their peers. They get inspired by the fun and emotive way other young people bring the message and information. The dance4life team brings music, drums, dance led by peer educators and young people living with HIV. Misconceptions and preconcieved ideas are corrected, and taboos are broken about the virus and how it is spread. It’s serious fun! 2. Educate and empower The team then organizes skill building workshops that increase the knowledge and self-esteem of the youth. They develop and gain new skills that empower them and allow them to make positive decisions about their lives and futures. Although the focus is on sexuality, rights and HIV and AIDS, the youth learn much more including skills for better public speaking, debating, negotiation, decision making, leadership and entrepreneurship. The workshops also place a special focus on young women and girls, to tackle the fact that they are at the highest risk of infection through lack of empowerment, violence and mistaken beliefs about HIV and AIDS. 3. Encourage action! Past experience has shown that on average, one third of all youth who have participated in the previous two dance4life activities go on to take action in ways they feel will stop the spread of HIV and AIDS. Over thirty percent of the youth who have been inspired and informed come up with solutions that will change behaviour and change how HIV is viewed by their friends, families and leaders. In the past, youth have raised funds for HIV and AIDS projects, written letters to politicians, organized exhibitions and debates and done voluntary work with HIV positive people and children in orphanages. 4. Celebrate victory Every two years on the Saturday before World AIDS Day (the next one is on 17th November 2010) an incredibly powerful and inspirational dance event is organized for all those who have taken action to celebrate their work and victories. No one can buy tickets, only those who took action can attend. United by one cause and connected live via satellite, they dance together for life in front of each other and the world. They visibly demonstrate what they believe in and what they have achieved as part of dance4life. They dance to inspire and gain support from the rest of the world, and to remind the world leaders of the promises they made regarding the Millennium Development Goals.