Satirist to educate
POPULAR and controversial animated sociopolitical satire character, Noko Mashaba, has embarked on an educational campaign to raise awareness amongst Africans about stigma and discrimination against people infected and affected by the HIV/aids pandemic.
LIMPOPO – POPULAR and controversial animated sociopolitical satire character, Noko Mashaba, has embarked on an educational campaign to raise awareness amongst Africans about stigma and discrimination against people infected and affected by the HIV/aids pandemic.
The creator of Noko Mashaba Rams Comics and self-taught animator, Jonas Lekganyane, has partnered with the United Nations AIDS (UNAIDS) and African Broadcast Media Partnership (ABMP) in a joint campaign to reduce stigma and discrimination and increase access to justice in national HIV responses.
Lekganyane says as a satire writer he believes Noko Mashaba as a great influence in many people’s lives has shown commitment to raise awareness around HIV and breakdown stigma and discrimination.
“When I was approached to bring Noko Mashaba on board with this campaign I was really happy because I have always wanted to contribute positively in society whilst still finding a space to make people laugh. By including the satire feature in the campaign, the UNAIDS and ABMP are both trying to eliminate the stigma while making people laugh,” he said.
The self-taught animator, Lekganyane declares the online campaigned championed by Noko Mashaba is thought provoking and encourages, especially young people, infected and affected by the HIV/aids pandemic to raise and demand treatment in hospitals, demand proper access to medication and treatment.
He added that “with this UNAIDS’ programme more young people have to stand up and be counted, be it through joining the campaign or by demanding health services around issues of HIV/aids. It doesn’t matter if one doesn’t personally know anyone infected because the thing is we are all affected. There are a lot of problems, challenges in the health system and its hospitals in Africa as a whole.”
Noko Mashaba became an instant internet sensation from 2013 attracting millions of internet users when it showcased the episode Noko Mashaba VS Izikhothane on Youtube.
Lekganyane’s work with the Adventures of Noko Mashaba has been list as number one on google’s Top 10 videos watched in South Africa in 2014.
