“Softly-spoken Chief Lukhele decided education by stealth was the only answer for the men in his 1,800-strong chiefdom, and invited them to a play with free food afterwards. He didn’t tell them it was commissioned by UNICEF to spread AIDS awareness.

Chief Lukhele managed to round up around 400 people — around half of those men — to watch ‘The Tale of Two Futures’, the final part in a serialisation of plays about HIV/AIDS performed across Swaziland and the first to target men.

While only six men there admitted to having already taken an HIV test, some told Reuters after the play they would now check their status, or try to stick to one sexual partner.

‘I am trying to change my ways but it’s hard,’ said John Ndlovi, a 50-year old retired miner dressed in a ragged yellow T-shirt, with a wry smile. ‘I have not had a test but after seeing this play I think now I must find out if I am infected.’

Here is more information on a story that I posted about a week ago. This goes into more detail about the reactions the men of the region had to the education event itself.