南非扶輪社員施放汽球

進行打擊愛滋病活動

South Africans launch balloons in fight against AIDS

南非扶輪社員正尋求新方法解決該國眼前的夢魘—在全國4,300萬人口當中，兩成民眾感了導致愛滋病的HIV病毒，儼然形成一場衛生大浩劫。為此，開普敦的濱水(Waterfront)扶輪社發起一項以增進並鼓勵人民認識和討論HIV/愛滋病為目的之計劃。

South African Rotarians are finding new ways to address their country's current nightmare — a health disaster in which 20 percent of a total population of 43 million is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The Rotary Club of Waterfront in Cape Town has initiated a project aimed at creating awareness and stimulating discussion about HIV/AIDS.

今年稍早在此港都一場為期5天的藝術展中，一端繫在公園草地上的12顆亮彩汽球冉冉升空，為這項計劃正式揭開序幕。這些高7公尺(23尺)的汽球宣導預防HIV/愛滋病的訊息，成千上萬的居民及遊客都一目了然。十多家報社、廣播電台和新聞頻道，則將此訊息傳達給更多的閱聽大眾。

Earlier this year, the project literally lifted off with the launch of 12 brightly colored balloons moored on a park lawn during a five-day art exhibition in the coastal city. Promoting HIV/AIDS prevention, the message carried by the seven-meter (23-foot) tall balloons reached thousands of residents and visitors. More than a dozen news-papers, radio stations, and news services spread the message to a wider audience.

該計劃取名為Umbono，在南非廓薩(Xhosa)語中是「視覺印象」之意，目的在於說服社會大眾別再將危險性行為視為禁忌話題。

Called Umbono, which means "visual image" in South Africa's Xhosa language, the project is aimed at coaxing the public to overcome the taboos that inhibit discussion of risky sexual behavior.

「許多文化上的隔閡致使HIV/愛滋病的訊息無法清楚傳遞。」身兼藝術家、計劃發起人與濱水扶輪社員多重角色的庫瑞布斯(Philipp Krebs)如此表示。「而藝術將有助於克服務這些隔閡。」

"Many cultural barriers get in the way of the clarity of messages on HIV/AIDS," said Philipp Krebs, artist, project originator, and Waterfront Rotarian. "Art can help to overcome these barriers."

除了自家社員賣力宣導外，該社還獲得開普敦衛生部門、當地企業、瑞士Pro Helvetica組織，和美國及英格蘭兩國扶輪社的鼎力相助。有了他們的配合，該社募得13萬蘭德(13,445美元)。幫助庫瑞布斯實現這個有效傳遞訊息的計劃構想。

In addition to promotional help from its members, the club enlisted the services of Cape Town's health department, businesses, the Swiss Pro Helvetica organization, and Rotary clubs in the United States and England. With their support, the club raised R130,000 (US$13,445) to help turn Krebs's idea into a project with an effective message.

就在汽球於開普敦藝術展上施放後兩週，該計劃移師西岬大學(University of the Western Cape)舉辦10天展覽，該校1萬2千名學生和鄰近學校的數千名學生都見到這些汽球飄揚。該社還有目標更為遠大的計劃，亦即將其訊息傳遞到當地的低收入地區，最後遍及全非洲。

Two weeks after its "lift off" at the Cape Town exhibition, the project opened a 10-day display at the University of the Western Cape, where 12,000 students plus thousands more from neighboring schools viewed the balloons. The club has ambitious plans to take its message to local low-income neighborhoods and, eventually, throughout Africa.