the rural womens' project

TAI was started in 1995 by the dynamic and passionate Gethwana Mahlase, with the aim of assisting rural women respond to the effects the HIV epidemic was having on them. These women were the most infected and affected by the HIV epidemic and were faced with numerous challenges.

• They were not able to decide on which HIV prevention methods they would like to use because all decisions relating to sexual practices were made by the male partners in the relationships. Men decided when to have sex, where to have sex, how to have sex and if condoms would be used. Many women were not even allowed to decide if they could use contraception.
• As a result of cultural norms and practices, women were tasked with most household tasks, including childcare. Women were also responsible for caring for the ill and dying within the family. A large burden of unpaid and unrecognised work was placed on women, and this burden increased as the number of people suffering from AIDS related illnesses increased. Women had to deal with this burden when they themselves were sick.

The project was well received and supported by the women who participated, however it soon became evident that the project was not achieving its goal. 90% of the women were not able to implement their personal HIV prevention choices.

• Although women learnt how to protect themselves from infection or re-infection through the project, their male partners were refusing to use protection methods such as condoms. This situation was very difficult for women who knew that their male partners had multiple sexual partners.
• Most male partners reacted very negatively when the women suggested condom use to them. This included accusing the women of being unfaithful, of forgetting their place in the relationship, and in a few cases, the women were beaten and chased from their homes.
• Where women had gone for HIV tests, as the project encouraged them to do, and had disclosed their status to their male partners, many were accused of having "brought this thing" to the family. Women were blamed.

The experiences of these women led to TAI deciding to work with men. In the cultural environment of KwaZulu Natal it just made sense to work with men to encourage HIV prevention methods and testing. It was also necessary to help men personalise their risk of infection. TAI felt that by working with men, we would ultimately achieve our vision of assisting women in the face of the HIV epidemic, and this is how the Shosholoza AIDS Project was born.