SSCS part 8 (Hlatikulu & Nhlangano Town Launches)

AWESOME.

The last 2 of the 4 town launches happened today. We started in Hlatikulu and when the AMICAALL Nhlangano staff arrived MTN and the AMICAALL Hlati staff had most everything already set up and we arrived an hour before game time. So the show started earlier which is almost a miracle here in Swaziland. We added entertainment acts and the crowd grew to about 225 people. Many of the teams came out for the event, which was just great.

At 11:30 we wrapped up and moved to Nhlangano. At right about 1:00 we had everything set up and the crowd started to swell. Its estimated at over 300 people were watching. It was interesting to watch the dance acts that had been with us for all four launches how much better they performed before the bigger crowds than the smaller ones. We added an act that only performed in Nhlangano called the Good Street boys, who had what had to be an 8 or 10 year old, who could dance like mad, with his hat on backwards and did backflips he was by far the top crowd pleaser.

At every event HIV and Male circumsion were front and center. MTN got lots of newly registered people for Mobile Money and teams all got to promote themselves. An improv idea happen in Nhlangano that we didn't do in other cities was to allow players to grab the microphone and promote there team to the fans. Since its the base idea of whole plan it was fun to see the teams promoting themselves. One player walked around with a plastic shoe of a piggy bank collecting money. I hear he got over R100, what he was doing is totally the spirit of the event and dropped all my change in the piggy bank of almost R20.

It is amazing how God seems to have shined his light on our project since even though we put in a lot of hard work it all went off without an major problems. All of the partners pulled their weight and all received the outcomes they were expecting.

Now the real work of this event happens, we get to visit the individual teams and talk to them about HIV, condoms and being smart.

As a side note, SABC (South African Broad Casting), the biggest channel in South Africa, happened to be in Hlatikulu that day researching a story that the country is running out of ARV's (The drug that successfully keeps HIV in check). They were allowed to film the event but are setting up a meeting with the National Director to talk about HIV issues in Swaziland. Now that would be amazing if it made the news in South Africa. That is like if a small little event happen in the US Virgin Islands that NBC ran on its nightly news.

A really great couple of days.

And it ain't over yet.