Khaya Nkontso, coordinator of PPASA'€™s Men As Partners programme, is trying to help raise men'€™s awareness around issues of reproductive health, sexuality and HIV. Khaya says not all men are violent and want to dominate women. He says many men are showing a greater willingness to become involved in health issues that affect themselves as well as women and children. One of Khaya'€™s aims is to educate men about HIV/Aids, sexual violence and how to work in partnership with their wives or lovers.

Brian Smith, Human Resources Director at Volkswagen South Africa'€™s Uitenhage plant says that although his company has been involved in HIV education for quite some time a formal policy was only implemented in July this year. The National Union of Metal Workers is working with the company to make a success of the programme. Mr Smith was reluctant to confirm HIV prevalence at VWSA saying the company was awaiting results of saliva tests that were recently taken from workers. Thandeka Teyise reports.

Sam Ndunyana is a peer educator who works at the Mercedes Benz Body Plant at Daimler Chrysler in East London. On Mondays peer educators are allocated 10 minutes to educate and do talks on HIV related issues to their fellow colleagues in the canteens. Ndunyana says this has been an eye opener for him on HIV related issues he was not aware of. Thandeka Teyise compiled this report.

The Eastern Cape has a 21.7 percent HIV prevalence rate, the sixth highest in the country. This has an impact on the workforce in the motor industry, one of the biggest employers in the region.

In this  second interview  at the Daimler  Chrysler  in East London,  Sister Nokuthula Matyeshana  of the HIV/AIDS Clinic at the  plant explains how she co-ordinates various aspects of the company's policy with regard to the health of workers. We also hear from  Person With Aids (PWA  ) who urged colleagues and friends to come forward and be tested.

29-year-old Nombeko Mpongo of Gugulethu is one of thousands rape survivors who do not have access to anti-retrovirals. She contracted HIV after four men raped her in 1997. Nombeko said although it was difficult at first to talk about the ordeal she's learned that there is life after HIV. Now she helps other HIV positive people to fight for their survival.

It is the duty of the parents especially to educate their children about HIV/AIDS and the use of condoms. Boyce Mgcina a traditional healer from Izifo Zonke Traditional Healers and an HIV/AIDS counselor at Zola Clinic in Soweto says in most cases fathers become not just heads of the house but also role models to their children '€“ girls and boys irrespective. Mgcina says traditional healers should talk often about HIV/AIDS during imbizos.

Spain is  the European country most affected  by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. According to Michael Meulbroek of Projecte Del Noms, an organization that helps people with information and counselling on HIV/AIDS,  the Spanish government  refuses to supply condoms and offers no treatment for people  with HIV/AIDS. The 2001 UNAIDS Report on the pandemic says there are 130 000 people living with AIDS in Spain -   26 000 are women and 1 300 children.

It's been sixteen years since President Yuweri Museveni came to power and throughout this time he has maintained a commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS is listed among the top three priorities of government which include peace and security and economic empowerment. And this commitment is paying off. Uganda has reduced its HIV prevalence rate from a high of 30 percent to between 6 and 8 percent today. The credit for this effort comes from a multi-sectoral response which includes the efforts of non-government organisastions, religious groups, communities and, above all, the political will from the government says Dr Alex Coutinho of the Uganda AIDS Commission.

The Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations for HIV/AIDS in Africa, Stephen Lewis says while  scientists are doing their utmost  to address HIV/AIDS, politicians have shown little  commitment. Proof of this is the struggle to raise the 10 billion dollars needed for the  United Nations Global Fund on AIDS, TB and Malaria to save the lives of more than 2 million Africans.  Only two billion dollars of  the ten billion dollar target has been raised.

In this audio report in English and isiXhosa, Anglican Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane says there's a need for religious communities to involve themselves in HIV/AIDS and for government to provide better leadership on the pandemic. Ndungane recently called on the health minister to resign and for wrangling over the Global Fund on AIDS, TB and Malaria to end so that funds can reach those who need them most.