MADaboutART provides innovative, interactive educational programmes that equip children with practical skills and knowledge about HIV and AIDS and begin to dismantle fundamental misunderstandings, taboos and stigma. We deliver clear, accurate and accessible HIV education in a way that is engaging to children and young people, within the context of building life skills and self-confidence so they may grow up with the skills and knowledge they need to protect their future.
We work in South Africa, where we have developed a unique arts-based HIV education and youth empowerment programme in the Western Cape of South Africa and established a purpose-built arts and education centre at our base in Nekkies, a township outside Knysna in the Western Cape. HIV prevalence in South Africa’s Western Cape is between 20% and 30% according to local estimates and continues to grow. The epidemic increasingly affects young people, particularly young women and girls, both in terms of new infections and related psychosocial effects of bereavement, poverty and sibling care in affected families.
Lack of information and lack of self-esteem/self-confidence and life skills means that many young people do not have the skills or knowledge they need to protect themselves. 'AIDS fatigue' is common with many young people choosing to ignore traditional models of HIV education because they feel they have 'heard it all before'. Lack of information coupled with misinformation leads to stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV, creating further barriers to effective education and prevention. Outside school hours boredom is a major factor with young people frequently spending time on the streets and becoming involved in crime, drugs, alcohol and sexual activity just to pass the time.
Through our growing Youth Ambassador programme MADaboutART delivers comprehensive, youth-driven HIV education programmes in community and educational settings, including pre-schools as well as providing training for teachers, counsellors and social workers on HIV education and empowerment interventions with children.
MADaboutART also creates educational links between young people in the UK and South Africa using art as a medium to foster greater understanding and awareness of HIV internationally. We train youth workers in our unique interventions as well as undertaking awareness and fundraising initiatives such as the Rainbow of Hope exhibition in Trafalgar Square on World AIDS Day 2005. We aim to inspire children in the UK to get involved and Make a Difference through fundraising and teaching others.
Hannah, age 13, Nottingham |  Jodie, age 13, Nottingham |
Our unique educational model of 'children teaching children' uses art to build bridges between countries and communicate across language and culture. Children love to paint, to talk through pictures - a simple formula enabling children to enjoy learning through painting pictures of their lives and experiences.
Tell me, and I forget,
Teach me, and I may remember
Involve me, and I learn
Benjamin Franklin
"I may be HIV positive, but don't discriminate against me - I need help"
Anthony, age 16, South Africa
Larry Gurney created MADaboutART in June 2001. Larry is MADaboutART's chief executive and an experienced healthcare training professional, peer educator and former Health Promotion Officer for people living with HIV & AIDS at the Terrence Higgins Trust in London. Living with HIV himself, a personal passion to Make a Difference for children affected and orphaned by AIDS across the world inspired Larry to create MADaboutART to help fight stigma and provide innovative HIV and AIDS education and prevention initiatives.
MADaboutART has no paid staff - our Trustees, management board and advisers are all volunteers with the passion to Make a Difference.
We are funded through local fundraising and grants from charitable and corporate organisations.
In 2005 MADaboutART won 3 international awards - two at the International AIDS Impact Conference in Cape Town in April and a third at the HIV Hero Awards in London in November. The MADkids in South Africa also received a special award from the International Red Cross for development of a logo for the Red Cross orphans and vulnerable children programme.