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STORY: SRI LANKA / HIV-AIDS
TRT: 2.38
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / SINGLA
DATELINE: 25 SEPTEMBER 2012, COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
1. Wide shot, Sarath watching athletes practice
2. Wide shot, athletes practicing on the grounds
3. Close shot, Sarath's hand on his legs
4. Close shot, Sarath's hand movements
5. SOUNDBITE (Singla) Sarath (Name changed), HIV Advocate:
“At first I did not know what this was, because of that at first I could not accept myself. One day I just decided to face reality and accept this. Then I wanted help others who were living with HIV as I felt many of them were being discriminated against and suffering as a result of it.”
6. Med shot, ‘Think Wise’ volunteers getting down from the ‘Think Wise’ bus
7. Med shot, Think Wise volunteers raising awareness by distributing pamphlets to people on the streets
8. Med shot, Think Wise volunteers distributing pamphlets at the bus stand and to the people in the bus
9. Various shots, ‘Think Wise’ volunteers at bus stands and streets
10. Med shot, JP Duminy, South African cricket player playing with the Think Wise volunteers
11. Wide shot, South African cricket player
12. Close shot, South African cricket player interacting with Think Wise cricket players
13. Wide shot, South African cricket player, JP Duminy, during warm up
14. SOUNDBITE (English) JP Duminy, South African Cricketer:
“Sport plays a major role in building a nation and obviously with these kinds of events – ICC events- being so huge, it can only being a lot of attention to a lot of people and we are certainly grateful to be part of it and hopefully we can create some sort of a difference within our world and our countries”
15. Med shot, Think Wise volunteers walking on the cricket ground
16. Wide shot, South African cricket player practicing cricket with Think Wise volunteers.
17. Close shot, South African cricket player, JP Duminy, shaking hands with the Think Wise volunteers.
18. Wide shot, ‘Think Wise’ volunteers exercising at the cricket ground
19. Med shot, South African cricket players signing on the mini cricket bats
20. Close shot, South African cricket player signing on the mini cricket bat
21. SOUNDBITE (English) Reza Hossaini, UNICEF Representative Sri Lanka –
“Sarath is not alone in this journey. Tens of thousands of young people get the fear of stigma and discrimination; they do not go for testing even though they know that they have had a risky behavior. They do not seek medical help and psychosocial support when they know they are HIV positive and this silence actually helps in silently spreading the virus. We strongly believe that through the power of cricket, we can motivate and we can encourage the young people to speak out to seek help when they need and increase the public awareness in general.”
22. Wide shot, Sarath at the clinic
23. Med shot, Sarath speaking to counselor
24. Med shot, Sarath interacting with counselor
25. Close shot, counselor
26. Zoom in, Sarath watching athletes practice
Till a few years ago, Sarath was a successful track and field athlete but fate had other plans. He contracted HIV.
SOUNDBITE (Singla) Sarath (Name changed), HIV Advocate:
“At first I did not know what this was, because of that at first I could not accept myself. One day I just decided to face reality and accept this. Then I wanted help others who were living with HIV as I felt many of them were being discriminated against and suffering as a result of it.”
Sarath and a group of other people recently concluded traveling across the length and breadth of Sri Lanka to raise awareness among people about HIV and understand how to keep themselves safe.
The road show was part of the ‘Think Wise’ campaign, a joint effort between the International Cricket Council (ICC), UNAIDS and UNICEF. The campaign has on board cricket stars from across Asia, Africa and the Caribbean who leverage their popularity and make people rally under the campaign slogans, like “Get the Facts – Protect Yourself, Think Wise. Don’t Stigmatize.”
SOUNDBITE (English) JP Duminy, South African Cricketer:
“Sport plays a major role in building a nation and obviously with these kinds of events – ICC events- being so huge, it can only being a lot of attention to a lot of people and we are certainly grateful to be part of it and hopefully we can create some sort of a difference within our world and our countries”
Across the world, about 2500 young people between the age of 15 and 24 contract HIV every day, according to UNICEF statistics.
While stigma against people living with HIV is still rife, reducing discrimination around those who live with HIV is therefore critical, as is increased awareness among high risk groups like sex workers, men having sex with men and transgender people.
SOUNDBITE (English) Reza Hossaini, UNICEF Representative Sri Lanka:
“Sarath is not alone in this journey. Tens of thousands of young people get the fear of stigma and discrimination; they do not go for testing even though they know that they have had a risky behavior. They do not seek medical help and psychosocial support when they know they are HIV positive and this silence actually helps in silently spreading the virus. We strongly believe that through the power of cricket, we can motivate and we can encourage the young people to speak out to seek help when they need and increase the public awareness in general.”
Sarath is on antiretro viral therapy and he has been leading a healthy life so far. Proper treatment and care will ensure he remains healthy and can carry on fighting against the virus that changed the course of his life.
