Reviews
"This well-written book explores the use of workplace peer-education as a strategy to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In many South African companies employers face high levels of absenteeism while communities face deaths due to HIV/AIDS. In these companies, workers have volunteered to talk with one another about the previously unmentionable--sexual practices, gender relationships, religious beliefs, traditional healing practices--all of which shape the health crisis. As peer educators they take advantage of teachable moments where an individual slips out of the constructs of social order and becomes open to changing behavior. By showing us how this is done, David Dickinson describes and analyzes the potential of peer education in HIV prevention work not only in the workplace setting but also in many others."--William L. Holzemer, RN, PhD, FAAN, Dean and Professor, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, College of Nursing, "This well-written book explores the use of workplace peer-education as a strategy to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In many South African companies employers face high levels of absenteeism while communities face deaths due to HIV/AIDS. In these companies, workers have volunteered to talk with one another about the previously unmentionable-sexual practices, gender relationships, religious beliefs, traditional healing practices-all of which shape the health crisis. As peer educators they take advantage of teachable moments where an individual slips out of the constructs of social order and becomes open to changing behavior. By showing us how this is done, David Dickinson describes and analyzes the potential of peer education in HIV prevention work not only in the workplace setting but also in many others."-William L. Holzemer, RN, PhD, FAAN, Dean and Professor, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, College of Nursing, "Much has been written about the AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa, where the disease has left a devastating human toll. David Dickinson provides a poignant and moving account about people who are doing something to combat the spread of the HIV virus in their communities. Woven with intricate stories and quotes, this book is a must-read for any person working in the field of HIV and AIDS. Not only does it leave the reader with a sense of the strength and power of those serving as peer educators, it also demonstrates one community's heroic attempts to survive this disease by creatively using the resources they have at hand. This book is extraordinarily well written and stands as a testament to human creativity in the face of one of the greatest human tragedies of our era."-Jennifer J. Furin, Harvard Medical School and Director of Partners in Health, Lesotho, "Much has been written about the AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa, where the disease has left a devastating human toll. David Dickinson provides a poignant and moving account about people who are doing something to combat the spread of the HIV virus in their communities. Woven with intricate stories and quotes, this book is a must-read for any person working in the field of HIV and AIDS. Not only does it leave the reader with a sense of the strength and power of those serving as peer educators, it also demonstrates one community's heroic attempts to survive this disease by creatively using the resources they have at hand. This book is extraordinarily well written and stands as a testament to human creativity in the face of one of the greatest human tragedies of our era."--Jennifer J. Furin, Harvard Medical School and Director of Partners in Health, Lesotho
