South Africa has the largest number of HIV-positive people in the world. Estimates vary from 4.5 to 5.3 million infected people living in South Africa. If you consider 4.9 million to be the average number of HIV infected people you will see that the HIV prevalence lies at 11.4%. In the next 15 years 10 million people will pass away because of AIDS, causing the mortality to double. Approximately 600 people die every day from HIV, causing the life expectancy to drop from 62 to 56. Each day 1600 South Africans are infected with HIV. Of these, 250 infants receive HIV through mother-child transmission. Two thirds of the sufferers are between the ages of 15-20. With this rate a teenager is infected every second. AIDS will be the cause of death for almost half of today’s 15 year olds in the Republic of South Africa.

AIDS Education at school plays a big role in fighting against the spread of the virus in South Africa. The book “Stronger than the Storm”, written by Lutz van Dijk, is used in life-skill classes in South Africa to educate the students about attitudes, prejudices, rejections, fears and myths that circulate about the disease. The book deals with the story of the protagonist Thinansonke who lives in a black town outside of Cape Town. Her life changes dramatically when she is raped by two men who believe that they will be cured from AIDS when sleeping with a virgin. Thinansonke soon realised that she contracted HIV. Her friend Thabang, whose mother died of AIDS, and her teacher Miss Delphine promise to stand by her and support her in the future. Thina suffers rejection from her mother because she denies the HIV positive status of her daughter. In the book Thina has doubts about how she will be able to cope with her infection in the future but she has a positive attitude towards life at the end of the book.
The Dutch author Lutz van Dijk who was born in 1955 has so far published eleven novels. His latest award is the Youth Literature Award of Namibia 1997, he also won the Gustav Heinemann Peace Award , which is one of the highest awards for youth literature in Germany. I asked him if he would do an interview with me and here is the result:

1) When and how were you confronted with the AIDS situation of South Africa?

During interviews with young South Africans I lead in connection with the work of the Truth Commission (TRC). I did this in co-operation with the South African lecturer Karin Chubb. Our reports were later published in Germany in the book: Der Traum vom Regenbogen (mit einem Vorwort von Erzbischof Desmond Tutu), Rowohlt Taschenbuch, Reinbek 1999).


2) How did you come up with the idea of writing this novel? What encouraged you to write about the situation of the youth who are infected with or affected by HIV in South Africa?

It was inspired through contacts with children and youth in South Africa. I thought that campaigns about the use of condoms are not sufficient when there are no personal stories. I hesitated a long time to write such a story as a white male from Europe but in the end it was a professional challenge to give the best of my abilities as a writer to do so.


3) How did you collect all the information to be able to describe Thinansonke's situation, a black girl living in a Township like Gugulethu, in a realistic way?

Through many interviews and visits in townships around Cape Town, especially in Gugulethu. I had support from several South Africans who were also critical co-readers to the draft of the book. The story of Thinasonke was based on a true story of a girl that I knew while I was in South Africa.

4) Which role do you think literature plays in fighting AIDS? How many South African schools are using "Stronger than the Storm" in their life-skill classes?

Literature, as other arts, can play a crucial role in the fight against AIDS. It allows people to set their mind free and to relate with others, even those who might appear as strangers at first sight.

I estimate that about 600 schools are working with the English version of "Stronger than the storm". In the upcoming school year many new schools have ordered the Afrikaans translation and also the Xhosa translation will be used more in the future. In Rwanda the book has been introduced to schools in English and French.


5) In the book, Miss Delphine is a very caring teacher who supports Thina to get HIV tested and promises to stand by her after she has been tested. Do you think that Miss Delphine represents a realistic or an idealistic South African teacher?

Certainly, Miss Delphine is a very positive role model and teacher. Don't say that all teachers are like that (others are also present in the novel). I had the pleasure of meeting excellent teachers in this country who labour under extremely difficult conditions (like in our township of more than 80 learners per classroom).


6) "My fingers are stiff with cold as I scribble the last page. But I know that the warmer times are coming, no matter how many storms we have to weather before then. Spring will come." Although Thinansonke had to go through a lot of pain and suffer because of her HIV infection she says those words in the end of the book. Am I right if I assume that one of the messages of the book is that living with AIDS positively is possible?

Yes, indeed! This is also what we show day by day in our project HOKISA (Homes for Kids in South Africa), which is one of the reasons of the book (see also our website: www.hokisa.co.za ).


7) Are you writing another book at the moment?


I just finished a long-term book project for young readers "The History of Africa". The German version will be published this month. The English and Afrikaans versions are being worked on for the next year or two for South Africa.

by Kirsten Noah

last change: 10.03.2004 15:35