On the eve of Human Rights Day and in anticipation of World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, Beyond Zero in collaboration with our subrecipient, MK Umbrella, hosted an event at Nthame Primary School on March 20, 2024, drawing over 280 participants from across the community. This significant gathering was held in anticipation of Human Rights Day and World TB Day, underscoring the intertwined nature of health rights and human dignity. The event saw an overwhelming turnout of over 280 beneficiaries from MK Umbrella, including community leaders, representatives from the AIDS Foundation South Africa, the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), WITS RHI, and various other stakeholders.  

Beyond Zero, renowned for its unwavering commitment to health initiatives across South Africa, orchestrated this event with the aim of raising awareness about TB and reinforcing the fundamental human rights principles. Zola Ndlela the Human Rights Project Officer from Beyond Zero said “We are currently at Limpopo in Sekhukhune district at Nthame Primary School to commemorate Human Rights Day and TB Day. Our organisation, Beyond Zero, under the Human Rights and Advocacy Programme hosted a build-up event in collaboration with one of our subrecipients, MK Umbrella. Where we were raising awareness on the importance of human rights especially for KVP. The event went incredibly well, we had quite a number of stakeholders who joined us here, namely, South African AIDS Council, Provincial AIDS Council, District AIDS Council, The Department of Health, and other key stakeholders who commemorated and shared the message of human rights awareness. We also had over 280 beneficiaries to hear the messaging and get TB, HIV and STI screening. We also documented human rights violations which is very exciting. The turnout of the event was incredible, people received IEC material and incentives. We are hoping that throughout the month of March the Sekhukhune District will receive different messaging on human rights and TB awareness, people will go get tested, adhere to medication, report any human rights violation, and spread awareness in different platforms.” 

The choice of Nthame Primary School as the venue emphasised the importance of education in the fight against TB and in promoting human rights from a young age. One of the beneficiaries Themba Nribe from GaPhala said “I would like to thank Beyond Zero and MK Umbrella for what they have done for me. I was bullied at school, they were swearing at me and calling me names because of my sexuality. Since they intervened things have been better. The leaners don’t call me names anymore and my studies are going well.” 

The day was filled with educational sessions, health screenings, and engaging discussions about human rights and TB. These activities were designed to equip the community with knowledge about TB prevention and treatment, and to foster a culture of respect and equality. Antony Legumi from Burgersfort shared his experience “I appreciate MK Umbrella and Beyond Zero for the services they provide. They help us with prevention and PrEP, as well as the human rights component. The community used to treat us differently because of our sexuality but now they are well informed.” 

One of the highlights of the event was the community engagement session, where individuals shared their experiences and the challenges they face. This session offered invaluable insights for policymakers and implementing partners, underscoring the need for inclusive and accessible health initiatives.  

Kgothatso Mawela, Linkage Officer from MK Umbrella said “My job is to link all our clients to our services, from HIV testing, STI, to TB, and antiretroviral treatment. As well as human rights violation referral. My experience with MK Umbrella, I joined MK Umbrella last year in January and they have helped me with a lot of things including when and where to report GVB and human rights violation.  

We remain dedicated to our mission of improving health outcomes and advocating for the rights of every individual, with a renewed focus on eradicating TB and championing human rights in South Africa.