Y+ Beauty Pageant goes to north

By Elvis Basudde

The search for regional representative in the Miss Y+ and Mr. Y+ (young positive) Beauty Pageant auditions ended Sunday in northern Uganda at the Straight Talk Foundation, Gulu.

To say the least, contestants in other regions should expect some really tight competition at the grand finale, come September 18.

The judges were particularly pleasantly impressed by the enthusiastic, gifted and intelligent contestants especially during a question and answer session, leave alone their stage presence that charmed many. The 22 contestants were later reduced to four when the competition heated up.

The judges, who included Bizza Phionah, a former 2013 Miss Uganda, Faith Lubanga, coordinator, Straighttalk Foundation-Gulu and  John Omara, project officer, Gulu, unanimously zeroed on Joan Abwolu and Silas Lobangakene as Miss Y+ and Mr. Y+ northern region respectively

Judge Phionah Bizzu, a former 2013 Miss Uganda, congratulates MR.Y+ Northen Region. Photo by Elvis Basudde.

The 22- year old Abwolu is a volunteer expert client at TASO Gulu while Lubangakene, 21, is a second year student at Gulu University pursuing a diploma in development studies. They were followed by Gloria Anenc, 19, and Ben Odeke, 22, as runners-up respectively.

They may not be exceptionally beautiful and good looking but both Abwolu and Lubangakene are intelligent and they proved it by easily nailing questions including a few rocket-science questions.

Judges had earlier clarified that they were  not only looking at the outer beauty, but brains, confidence, eloquence, knowledge, vision, people who are focused, who can speak, who have information on issues affecting young people. They wanted young people whom they can mentor and can drive the theme of “zero stigma” to greater heights.

“You are referred to as an expert client, what does that mean?” a judge asked her. “An expert client is someone who
has been empowered and is strictly adhering to treatment and taking his drugs well,” she explained.

Some of the Y+ contestants during the nothern region auditions. Photo by Elvis Basudde.

She added, “Someone who guides and helps others how to live positively and cope with their HIV status. Positive living is a lifestyle that must be adopted by somebody living with HIV. It involves eating a balanced deity, condom use, networking, not using drugs etc.”

She said she always gives positive living lectures to her fellow youth, and she also helps them to fight stigma and discrimination which is a major hindrance to the fight against HIV/AIDS Asked what she would do if the Ministry of Health gave her 10m, Abwolu said she would invest it in campaigns to promote zero discrimination, which is the theme for the Y+ beauty pageant.

“I would involve the youths so that we work together to bring one voice of advocacy towards stigma and discrimination. I will work hand in hand with the youth to go to places like markets and schools giving testimonies on ourselves on how we have been able to live positively and spread the gospel of zero discrimination in society,” she said.

Her counterpart, Lubangakene, said as Mr. Y+ Northern Uganda, he intends to be a voice for the youth in the northern and the entire Uganda, to raise their concerns to the stakeholders who are involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He also wants to be a role model for the young people.

Miss Y+ Northen region, Joan Abwolu, demonstrates how to use a condom. Photo by Elvis Basudde.
 

“I have already been exactly that at the university, educating and sensitizing fellow peers on HIV and the evils of stigma and discrimination. I have been encouraging other youth to come out and disclose about their HIV status, because that is the only way to fight the scourge,” he said.

Abwolu tested HIV positive in 2003. As she was in her primary school in Kitugum, she used to fall sick quite frequently and by then her mother had already succumbed to HIV. Her aunt took her to the hospital to find out what was bothering her and she was diagnosed with the HIV virus.

She felt like that was the end of her. But she has been able to cope since she was transferred from Kitgum to come to Gulu where she stays with her uncle who took her to Gulu TASO where she gets her medication and interacts with the youths.

She is also a member on TASO Gulu clients council, these are clients who represent the fellow clients on the council, but for her she represents the youths. As for Lubangakene, he tested HIV positive in 2008 when he was 13 years old.
He used to fall sick several times and his who was positive decided to take all his children for an HIV test. Out of the five children it was only him who tested positive.

The event was well organized, with performances from artistes such as Step up Crew and Team Strike Back. We saw real talent from Gulu. The Gulu even ended the regional auditions. There is now Miss and Mr. Y+ Western region, Central region, Eastern Region and Northern region.

Each region has  four representatives and there is a total of 16 contestants who will compete for MISS and MR Y+ 2015/2016, come September 18, 2015 at Golf Course Hotel, Kampala.

The Y+ Beauty pageant is organized by the Uganda Network of Young People Living with HIV&AIDS (UNYPA) in conjunction with SRHR Alliance, HIV Bible Movement (HBM), Marie Stopes International Uganda (MSIU) among others.

Jacquelyne Alesi, executive director, UNYPA, hailed the young people living with HIV for coming out from the shells and covers to give a positive face to HIV and fight stigma.

She said  the spirit of this pioneering event is not to celebrate being HIV positive but contributing to the UNAIDS three Zeros (Zero new infections, Zero stigma and discrimination and Zero AIDS related deaths), and also showing the world that people Living with HIV are also normal and capable of doing anything like other people who are HIV negative.

The guest of honour, Margret Mugisha, in-coming project manager with AMREF Health Africa, Gulu, commended the young boys and girls for coming out to de-stigmatise HIV/AIDS scourge especially among the young people.

“In AMREF we also work with young people focusing on HIV especially in areas of prevention. We are so happy to partner with the organizers,” she said.