Mamelodi residents were advised to test for HIV to know their status at International Candlelight Memorial Day on Thursday, May 23

They were urged to do so by members of Sarona Vhathu Phanda Cultural and Traditional Project and the Region 6 Tshwane Multi-Sectoral Aids Response Unit (Msamu) at Mini Munitoria in Mamelodi West.

Thabo Moshabelo from Vhathu Phanda said the stakeholders lit three candles: red, white, and yellow.

The red was lit in honour of the memory of people who have passed away because of Aids.

“The white candle symbolises hope for a cure and a stable life for the infected and hope that discrimination against people living with HIV will end.

“The yellow candle is a symbol of support and encouragement for those affected by HIV/Aids, with the hope that child-headed families will end and that there will be no more orphans,” said Moshabelo.

“We have partnered with Msamu and other non-profit organisations to commemorate the day through a memorial candle. [This is] a great way to commemorate the life of a lost loved one and bring joy and comfort to family and loved ones by enabling the ritual of remembrance to be perpetuated and a candle-lit day to ease the pain or loss.”

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The awareness campaign focuses on six main pillars, including highlighting discrimination against HIV, supporting health issues, improving gender-based relations and promoting gender equality in safe communities.

Moshabelo said: “Our aim as stakeholders is to show our support for the international candlelight memorial campaign by lighting candles of hope that will brighten our future and, in turn, motivate individuals, families, and communities that, through partnership, we can overcome HIV/Aids.

“HIV is increasingly recognised as an illness that affects couples and families, not just the individual,” he said.

“This is not because the virus can be passed on from one person to another, but also because for every person infected with HIV, there is a family and community that are also being affected.”

Lehlohonolo Pege from mobile clinic service #Keready said: “As a mobile clinic, we are here to attend the International Candlelight Memorial Day and to offer our primary healthcare service to young people.”

She said they offer treatment and services from minor issues such as headaches to family planning, HIV tests and STI treatments.

Medical and community chaplain Shila Mnisi said: “We are here to give words of encouragement as pastors to the people affected and infected with HIV/Aids.

“We should not call each other by names, instead, we should support one another.

“This can place a great strain on them. This can lead to individual stress and tension between members of the family.”

Moshabelo added they hope to host a massive HIV/Aids campaign in Mamelodi Region 6 by raising awareness through a march and candlelight prayer on Memorial Day in South Africa, particularly in Tshwane.

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