Portrait Series: TASO artists live positively
KAMPALA, UGANDA — Artists from the TASO Drama Group are all HIV-positive and have devoted their talents to ending the epidemic. They use dance, song and drumming to help them overcome sigma by raising awareness of the facts about HIV/AIDS.
Click on the first photo for a photo story about HIV-positive artists.
Sarah Kayiwaa, is HIV-postive. She joined the drama group in 2005. “Dancing helps me exercise and overcome stress.” Kayiwaa Said. (Yulin Yu | The Media School)
Sembatya Ronnie George is HIV-positive. He joined the group in 2000. “When you drum that drum, of course you dance and you sing. The singing makes you happy.” George Said. (Yulin Yu | The Media School)
Charles Makanga is HIV-positive. “When it comes to HIV, music is something that relieve someone from the body of stress.” (Yulin Yu | The Media School)
Kayiwa Mahmoud is HIV-positive and in the drama group in 2014. “The message you give to music or the message you give to drama. That’s how we flight sigma” (Yulin Yu | The Media School)
Namasembe Gertrude is HIV-postive and joined the group in 2008. “If we dance, it is part of exercise. On top of it, it’s our tool to mobilize people from the community,” Gertrude said, “If we dance, we feel something we love.” (Yulin Yu | The Media School)
Cossy Nassolo is HIV-positive and joined in 2014. “I am healthy and I am energetic when I dance,” Nassolo said. (Yulin Yu | The Media School)
Hadija Kakku, 70, is HIV-positive, and joined the group in 2001. “You don’t grow old when you dance,” Kakku said. (Yulin Yu | The Media School)