Tomorrow is a very big day not only for South Africa but for the rest of the world too. It is World AIDS Day 2010.
Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. World AIDS Day is important for reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.
According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.3 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2009 some 2.6 million people became newly infected with the virus and an estimated 1.8 million people died from AIDS.
The vast majority of people with HIV and AIDS live in lower- and middle-income countries. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world.
As we all know, Isidingo has played a very big part in recognizing this disease by having storylines around and including the virus, and has a character (Nandipha Sithole) that is living with the disease. Nandipha played by Hlubi Mboya is an icon and a spokesperson for aids, she travels to regions around the country and the world helping those living with the disease.
“I am tired of a youth feeling apathy and denial about their future its time for them to take back what’s theirs and try and make a difference this world aids day, and playing a character that is living with the disease has made me more aware of what is out there and I really pray that people will be safe and know aids is real” says Mboya.
On Wednesday, 01 December 2010, Isidingo will be celebrating their 3000th episode with a special show. Where characters such as Ma Agnes (Keketso Semoko), Zeb (Mlangeni Nawa), Maggie (Karin v/d Laag), Skhumbuzo (Sisa Hewana), Georgie (Darlington Michaels), Lesedi (Gugulethu Zuma), Vusi (Meshack Mavuso) and Nandipha will be performing at Neo’s (Ndotakala Se-Phuma) school for a charity concert.
Isidingo has a brilliant team of writers that are always on top of their game and keep stories fresh and interesting. Isidingo’s Head Writer, Ilse van Hemert explains this year’s story around World AIDS Day.
“We always try to find something new, last year we did a story that is about the subject of HIV/Aids. This year we said let’s do something uplifting, that’s full of fun and warmth. Especially because in our other storylines its high drama and tragedy, we thought it would be great to also exploit the singing talents of our
cast”
Isidingo is the brainchild of Grey Hofmeyr. Staged in the Horizon Deep Gold mine, the show’s first episode aired on 7th July 1998, and has since gone from strength to strength, with each storyline as good as the last if not better.
“To think how much work it is to get to 3000 episodes, the amount of stories we’ve told. The characters that have been with us for almost all these episodes have become part of the South African community. They are like our families. And I am looking forward to the next 3000” says van Hemert laughing.
You can catch this special episode on SABC 3 tomorrow: Wednesday 01 December 2010 at 18:30.