The Reality of AIDS - Part 14 - Selling Condoms

Interestingly enough, teaching people to use condoms requires changing behavior, something the anti-abstinence people argue cannot be done. One of my favorite stories came from the Roman Catholic Secretariat. It involves a team of “condom trainers,” social engineers traveling on motorcycles, sent to an outlying village to teach people how to use the prophylactic devices in order to not only protect themselves from AIDS but also to prevent unwanted pregnancy. When news of the training was announced in the village, many women became excited about the possibility of preventing pregnancies.

Standing in front of the village, the trainers used bananas to illustrate the proper way to apply a condom, all the while extolling the virtues of latex and its ability to protect both the wearer and his partner. They told the people if they used these devices, they would not die from AIDS and they would have fewer babies. After demonstrating the technique, the villagers were encouraged to practice with the condoms on bananas until they felt comfortable with with the process. The training ended. A large box of condoms was left behind and the trainers went on to the next village.

Six months later the trainers stopped by for a follow-up visit. The chief received them with typically warm Ugandan hospitality, but when they asked, “How’s it going,” the chief shook his head. Sadly, he said, the condoms do not seem to be working. We still have women becoming pregnant and people are still getting sick. “We are doing everything you taught us but it is not working,” he said. On further investigation, the team found the chief had spoken the truth:

Every home had placed in plain view a banana wearing a condom.The villagers never realized the device was meant to be worn by a human being.