This project originated from our interest in determining the levels of education and awareness about health issues with men in our area. We had developed a poster-calendar which we are distributing , advertising the training and educational services we offer in a funky and appealing design. While working on the production of the calendar we realized the research potential which exists with the distribution of the calndar. This research then became the main focus of the exercise.
On Friday 19 Feb I had a meeting with Dean Peacock from Sonke Gender justice and Malusi from our Men as Partners team. We were discussing the potential of using a survey carried out in Johannesburg with 945 men , have a look at www.genderjustice.org.za as a model for a similar survey in Khayelitsha.
There were two major outcomes from the discussion, one: we should generate our own set of questions related to specific local operational and programming issues and two we have to have it ready in a week!
Immediately we brainstormed the basic issues, the three main themes being a) the access of VCT by men in Khayelitsha, b)male circumcision and c) action on a community level against domestic and gender based violence.
We’ve been working on the survey questionnaire and today I had a discussion with my team on questions contained in this survey.
The most vigorous debate in this focus group was about the appropriateness of men asking other men about their initiation process. In some traditional viewpoints it is not a subject to be discussed at all.
The session was led by a Xhosa elder who happens to be a MAP facilitator and therefore has knowledge of both fields. At one point a young man said:
“It is time we break this silence, HIV is a reality and we have to speak about these things.”
To me this was one of the turning points in the conversation.
The team eventually agreed that they would give it a go and ask the questions, negotiating their answering with participants before they go into personal details.
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