CONDOLYMPICS: PATH Helping Kenya’s Uniformed Officers Overcome Condom Use Barriers

[OLUOCH-MADIANG']

Many officers have issues with the condom, partly informed by myths, incorrect information, religious and cultural rigidity, machoism etc. These issues are a huge barrier to the promotion of correct and consistent condom use as an effective HIV prevention technique. Condom-use failure is also high amongst uniformed officers in Kenya as many of them 'believe' they know how to use yet a lot of human error occurs when they attempt to use it for sex.

It is for these reasons that I created the CONDOLYMPICS, a fun, participatory and informative contest that involves a series of exciting condom games. The activity allows uniformed officers to interact with the condom in an uninhibited forum while at the same time sharing condom knowledge and gaining usage skills.

Condolympics has become a very popular activity amongst uniformed officers in the Op-ARIFU project for which I am a Prevention Advisor. Condolympics can be used with other audiences including CSWs, Youth, MSMs, PLWHAs, Men and Women in the Workplace etc. It is easy to execute and can help reach a huge audience within a short span of time.

It is not boring as teams compete and are not involved in long, boring lectures.

I am attaching a brief of the said CONDOLYMPICS to share with you moments of various uniformed officers in Kenya participating in Condolympics.

I hope you get informed.

Thanks and best regards,

Oluoch-Madiang'.
CONDOLYMPICS Brief.pdf

[OLUOCH-MADIANG']

Thank you very kindly Constance for your comments and observation. I note that you already can do the Condolympics with women and youth in Yaounde. I am attaching the Condolympics Guide (G5 The Condolympics Guide.pdf) herein for your implementation. I will be very glad to receive feedback (and possibly photos too) once you will have carried out Condolympics in your country.

Thanks and best regards,

-Madiang

[OLUOCH-MADIANG']

Thank you very kindly Constance for your comments and observation. I note that you already can do the Condolympics with women and youth in Yaounde. I am attaching the Condolympics Guide herein for your implementation. I will be very glad to receive feedback (and possibly photos too) once you will have carried out Condolympics in your country.

Thanks and best regards,

Madiang

[Laurence Gilliot]

Message from Constance send by email

Hello,
I have browse through the kenyan approach and I think condom users here face the same problems as in Cameroon. I want to appreciate the efforts of Madiang. His work is worth emulating.
We can also carry out the same exercises here starting with women and youth groups in Cameroon.
In secondary schools, abstinence is the watchword to fight HIV/AIDS and other STIs.
For this to succeed, i will need experience and assistance from health professionals.
Accept kind regards,

Constance

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Dear Madiang,

Excellent! The usual messages about HIV have perhaps outlived their shelf life. Such innovative games capture audiences' attention and make learning fun.

Thanks for sharing the document.

Warm regards,

Rituu