Volume 31, Issue 22
pip
April 13, 2006
Elm University's Weekly Student Publication
f It matters to wy, it matters to The Pendufam;
www.elon.edu/pendulum
Natasha Nader
Jerome Sturm/ Photographer
(Left to right) Adviser Tom Arcaro, Kathryn Dykeman, Allison
Paksoy, Rep. Howard Coble, Periclean-in-Residence Matjiua
Kauapirura, Raquel Corona and Sam White.
Periclean Scholars suggest ways
to improve HIV/AIDS in Africa
Jessica Frizen
News Editor
University of Namibia student Matjiua Kauapirura and the class of 2006
Periclean Scholars met with Rep. Howard Coble (R-N.C.) to offer recommenda
tions about how to approach the HIV/AIDS in Africa pandemic.
Sociology professor and Periclean scholar adviser Tom Arcaro and
Kauapirura explained to Coble that currently the U.S. is addressing the issue
by using an ABC campaign, which stands for abstinence, be faithful and
condomize. They said this approach only focuses on HIV/AIDS prevention
rather than directing attention toward those already infected.
“The ABC acronym is outvoted,” Arcaro said. “The SAFE acronym
is more apprehensive. Right now, people in Africa roll their eyes at
ABC. SAFE is new, broader and more positive.”
SAFE stands for safer practices, access to treatment, voluntary coun
seling and testing, and empowerment. “Safer practices” includes ABC
guidelines, but also focuses on sterilized needles and safe blood supply.
“Access to treatment” means the U. S. should discontinue its sup-
See COBLE p, 6
True Life: Jako
speaks out about
being HIV positive
News Editor
Jennifer Jako thought of HIV as something that affected
gay men and people she did not know. Then, at the age of 18,
she contracted the virus.
Jako spoke Monday in Whitley and shared her experiences
with HIV. She also offered advice to students and showed a clip
from her documentary, “Blood Line,” which aired on MTV in
1998 as “True Life: It Could Be You.”
Jako was infected with HIV while she was in college. She had
sex with a friend who was unaware he had the virus, and after that,
she stopped drinking and became abstinent. She decided to get test
ed for HIV, never expecting the results would come back positive.
Jako said on the day she found out she had HIV, she was com
pletely in shock and her whole world fell apart.
From that day, I knew I had to do something so that other
people wouldn’t end up with this disease,” she said.
Jako thought that since being infected 15 years ago that
over time, progress would be made in finding a cure for the
disease. When she started making the film, one young
American got infected with HIV every hour. When the
film aired on MTV, it jumped to two young Americans,
and today, it is up to four an hour.
“I sincerely doubt we will be able to find a cure,
but I think that within our lifetimes there will be a
vaccine,” Jako said.
She became very ill from the Virus by the tim^
she was 24 and said she was starting to die at 25.
When she was 26, she began taking new med
ications for HIV that no one had taken before.
She was told that if she did not, she would
die in a year. The medications worked for her,
but they don’t work for everyqne.
“We are so fortunate in our western world to
have decent access to these medications,” Jako said.
See JAKO p, 2
FEATURES
p. 17
International profes
sor shares cultural
experience.
ENTERTAINMENT
p. 20
Death Cab for Cutie teams
up with Franz Ferdinand
for concert at Duke.
SPORTS
p« 24
Elon knocks off power
house Wake Forest,
The Citadel on deck