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From page 1: Lakan Vloggers storm... the vlog quite difficult at first, but that was the challenge in their purpose: Getting people to be involved, engage in the topic, and feel empowered to make safer choices in their sexual health.
Mujer advocates set-up booths in the barangays during their RONDA MUJERES community drive. Photo grabbed from @MujerLGBT
Mujer distributes condoms and lubes in Zamboanga City written by Brixson Julian
From August 11-15, Mujer-LGBT Organization, Inc. launched ‘RONDA MUJERES’, an awareness and distribution drive on condoms and lubricants in Zamboanga City.
The awareness and distribution drive was conducted in a week from 8 AM to 5 PM. Mujer volunteers went to different barangays to do rounds - hence the name RONDA MUJERES.
According to Fernandez, they selected three barangays that have few to no cases of COVID-19 as a precautionary measure. They set booths in each of these selected barangay and did house-to-house condom distribution with help from the Depart“Amidst the ongoing pandemic, we be- ment of Health, the City Health Office, the lieve that it’s still imperative to be active local government unit of Zamboanga City, in promoting condom programs, especially as well as, with the barangays officials. within the context of HIV, sexual, and reproductive health and rights responses,” COVID-19 precautionary measures, inshared Alvin Fernandez, Executive Direc- cluding wearing of face mask and shields, tor of Mujer-LGBT Organization Inc. physical distancing, and temperature check were observed in the conduct of the Through this community-wide mobiliza- activity. tion effort, Mujer aims to increase awareness on the benefits and effectiveness Efforts like this prove how dedicated Muof condoms and normalize condom use jer is in promoting healthy sex lifestyle especially in local communities. It is also among people in Zamboanga City. Just in through these kind of activities that or- time for the NHPM 2020, Mujer was able ganization ensures easy access among spread awareness about HIV prevention community members to HIV pre- and reach out to more key populations that they serve. ventive commodities. With the hopes of making a SaferNow Zamboanga City, RONDA MUJERES was conducted in line with the celebration of the NHPM 2020.
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In the interviews, the team saw that some don’t even use protection, there were some who were shy about it, and some even shared that they didn’t feel comfortable wearing a condom. However, one interviewee shared how important protection was especially to the LGBTQIA+ community who did not have as much accessible information on safer sex. In the long run, the vlog set sailed smoothly with the aid of their cameraman, Mac Cabuso. Given the health threats brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization thought that people must also be equipped with the necessary knowledge to protect themselves and the people they love from HIV. The Lakan vlog primarily aimed to spread awareness about HIV prevention, since the organization believes that condoms is one of the most effective and accessible prevention method not only HIV but for other sexually transmitted infections.
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We don’t heal in isolation, but in community. S. Kelley Harrel
