Societies Tackling AIDS through Rights (STAR) is a participatory approach that was improvised by Action Aid International to ensure active participation of people and communities affected by HIV and AIDS and those living with it.

It is a community driven and people centred initiative that among other things highlights the understanding and action on the inter-linkage between HIV and AIDS, gender and rights, recognises and stimulates the unique roles of the family, the community and Governments as targets and collaborators to end the pandemic.

 

Eshe Mbinde 64 a resident of Kipure Village in Liwale Development Areas says…. that before STAR trainings they use to shave their young girls in their private parts by using finger nails something which contributed a lot in the spread of HIV/AID in their area.

 

“Shaving public hair from girls used to be done in a traditional unsafe way, initially we use to inspect girls and if their private parts are clean if not we lay the down and remove it infract plucking off using finger nails for instance I assisted the daughter of my Brother We made her lay down and removed the public hair without knowing that we possibly cause some infections to her as we use finger nails”. Says Eshe

 

Added that after formal training they were told not to mishandle girls as previously,    because AIDS is also transmitted that way.

 

Community development facilitation circles are formed with Circle members of between 20-25 people or more at village sub-village level. The circles comprise both men and women of different ages, where they freely interact and discuss on various  development issues.

 

Women can now be heard and they have led the way in going to test for HIV and AIDS, tried to influence their male counterparts to abstain from polygamy that results from good harvests, and some of the women have taken lead roles in educating the rest of the community in village meetings due to exposure obtained from community development facilitations circles.   

 

The STAR approach focuses on deepening community analysis and understanding on HIV/AIDS and its impacts especially its relationship with poverty. In Tanzania, Action Aid has introduced the approach in Mkuranga, Bagamoyo, Liwale, Newala, Tandahimba,Kigoma rural, Micheweni, Wete, Unguja north A and Unguja North B districts.