The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS has appointed Professor Jimmie Earl Perry as its first UNAIDS National Goodwill Ambassador for South Africa in an effort to address the alarming rate of people infected with the disease in the country. The announcement was made by Executive Director of UNAIDS, Mr. Michel Sidibe, at the World Aids Day gala concert held at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town, produced and directed by Prof. Perry and hosted by Stellenbosch University’s Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management on World Aids Day. Professor Perry, a singer, actor and dancer, is currently the Director of the Centre’s Educational Theatre and Creative Arts Program.

The UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassadors are prominent individuals from the world of arts, science, literature, entertainment, sport and other fields of public life who have expressed their desire to contribute to UNAIDS and to move the AIDS response forward.

According to Mr Sidibe: “Professor Perry has demonstrated a commitment to the AIDS response through his work with the creative arts and UNAIDS is confident that he will be a compelling and eloquent advocate in fostering continued support for the response and the work of UNAIDS in particular.” He noted that although South Africa has the largest HIV/AIDS epidemic in the world, advocacy remains a crucial first-line approach to keeping HIV high on the agenda.

Professor Perry, who has been involved in HIV/AIDS awareness initiatives since the 80s, says he is honoured and humbled to have been invited to be a Goodwill Ambassador. According to him, his mandate from UNAIDS is to advocate universal access of treatment and equality for all and to continue to educate, help prevent and minimize new HIV infections thru music and theatre. “If we are to turn this pandemic around South Africans and all people of the world have to really understand what the virus is, how it is spread, that it is not a death sentence thanks to medical treatment and to put an end to the fear and stigma of living with HIV.”

The appointment of Professor Perry brings the total of international Goodwill Ambassadors to eight. He is among the others being Emmanuel Adebayor and Michael Ballack (international football stars); Naomi Watts (actress); Salman Ahmad and Toumani Diabaté (musicians); Her Serene Highness Princess Stephanie of Monaco; and Her Royal Highness Princess Mathilde of Belgium. They represent the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, which coordinates the HIV/AIDS work of UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank. They raise the profile of work and the fight against stigma and discrimination on HIV issues for every affected population around the world.

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Note to Editors

Background on Professor Jimmie Earl Perry

• · Professor Perry came to South Africa from the United States in 2004 and is now a permanent resident and proudly South African.
• · A biography on Professor Jimmie Earl Perry is attached.
• · Additional photographs are available.
• · Background on The Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management is attached.
• · Information on ‘Lucky The Hero’ and ‘Lucky Fish’ two productions director by Professor Perry is available.

Current global HIV/AIDS statistics:

• · Number of people living with HIV: 5 700 000 [4 900 000 - 6 600 000]
• · Adults aged 15 to 49 prevalence rate: 18.1% [15.4% - 20.9%]
• · Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV: 5 400 000 [4 700 000 - 6 200 000]
• · Women aged 15 and up living with HIV: 3 200 000 [2 800 000 - 3 700 000]
• · Children aged 0 to 14 living with HIV: 280 000 [230 000 - 320 000]
• · Deaths due to AIDS: 350 000 [270 000 - 420 000]
• · Orphans due to AIDS aged 0 to 17: 1 400 000 [1 100 000 - 1 800 000]

Professor Jimmie Earl Perry

The Africa Centre’s Director of Educational Theatre and Creative Arts, Professor Jimmie Earl Perry, is a multi-talented singer, actor and all-round performer who was born in Alabama, grew up and educated in Trenton, New Jersey in the United States. He received classical, theatrical and gospel training at home, church and at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey.

Jimmie is a well-known stage performer and has travelled the world while starring in countless international productions, such as Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, Miss Saigon and Starlight Express . His soothing, soulful voice, full of wisdom and musicality, is undeniably a joy to listen to.

Jimmie came to South Africa in 2004 and has since made Stellenbosch his home. Today he uses his talent and experience to make a difference in the battle against HIV and AIDS through the creative arts. He creates productions to educate people of all races, creeds and cultures in the prevention of HIV infection through testing and knowing one’s HIV status, as well as managing one’s health.

In 2006 he released his first South African produced CD, Power of the dream. The album showcases the vast range of his musical repertoire and includes ballads from well-known artists as well as Jimmie’s own original compositions.

Jimmie’s vision is to produce more shows and recordings to spread the message that education, especially to the youth, is the key in lowering HIV infection rates, and to teach people to manage their lives with the virus.

On December 1, 2009 he was appointed the UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for South Africa.

Background on the Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management

The Centre was established in January 2003. Originally part of the Department of Industrial Psychology, the Centre is now a separate unit for education, research and community service related to HIV and AIDS management in the workplace. It offers the most comprehensive HIV training programmes in the world, empowering people to take control of the epidemic and to reach out to those affected by HIV and AIDS.

A Postgraduate Diploma in HIV/AIDS Management (PDM) was first presented in 2001. Today the Centre also presents a masters programme with students from more than 18 countries enrolled.

The Africa Institute for HIV/AIDS Management uses interactive educational theatre to address the mobilisation of communities with respect to HIV and AIDS. This includes eliminating stigma, developing partnerships between social and governmental decision-makers and systematically involving infected and affected communities and individuals.

This role is fulfilled by the Educational Theatre Company, established in 2004. Actors, mostly from the Stellenbosch community, were auditioned and selected and trained in dramatic performance, theatre skills as well as HIV and AIDS awareness. The company’s first production is the mini-musical Lucky the Hero! written by South African actress Vicky Davis and directed by Jimmie Earl Perry.
Lucky the Hero!

The 30-minute play Lucky the Hero! the first production of the Educational Theatre Company, is full of facts, humour and emotional impact. It is presented in Afrikaans and English, and mostly as a combination of both.

What is Lucky all about?

This mini-musical traces the journey of a young man, Lucky, who becomes aware of his risky behaviour through information given on a radio programme. He takes the brave step to be tested and then has to face the consequences. After revealing his status to his best friend, who gossips the information to the whole community, he is ostracised.

From factual information given to him as an anonymous caller on a radio station, he gains the self-assurance that his life still has great value. He disguises himself as Captain AIDS fighter and informs the community about the disease and changes their thinking.

His intervention on several aspects of sexual behaviour with community members becomes the catalyst to gain his acceptance back into the community. Through his enterprise he and the community realise the preventative facts, truths and outcomes so much so that all are convinced they will survive the epidemic.

The initial target audiences were farms in the greater Stellenbosch area, where HIV and AIDS knowledge levels were very low and where illiteracy and geographical isolation provides additional problems. Having been trained as peer educators, the actors can also be instrumental in being role models, in promoting positive living and in eradicating the stigma that is still associated with HIV and AIDS. It is now presented to many diverse communities and corporates since its messages and characters are universal and factual.

In addition to this, the play was written in such a way that it includes monitoring and evaluation protocol, so that its effect and success as an educational tool can be measured. It is indeed a cost-effective, efficient tool to arouse the necessary commitment to those who view this professional presentation.

Approximately 100,000 people have been reached by Lucky the Hero! Feedback shows that the play has been received quite enthusiastically: In general, people are better informed after completing the monitoring and evaluation protocol and are more motivated to be responsible and proactive about HIV and AIDS related matters.