Pauline Oosterhoff
Rapper Contre le Silence
“Rapper Contre le Silence” (2002)
“Rapper Contre le Silence” (2002) involved hundreds of amateur Togolese rappers around the country in a nationwide contest at 14 radio stations across the country. Young people wrote songs on one of four AIDS-related themes, which they performed live at these radio stations. A Togolese jury with members from different backgrounds: f.e. young people, AIDS experts, people living with HIV, musicians and journalists, selected a winner.
The winners of each radio station performed their songs at the Rap Against Silence concert in a full stadium in Atakpame. The top four finalists got to record their songs 1.Te Sense Pas Malade, 2. Le Sida C’est Notre Affaire 3. Relevons Le Togo 4 Mets La Capote at a professional studio which was put out as a mini-album by UNDP on CD and cassette and broadcasted by the partnering radio stations. At the time Togo had an HIV prevalence of 6%, AIDS medicines were not available and many international organizations had left the country due to political instability.
Collaboration:
Production and concept: Pauline Oosterhoff with support of UNDP, UNICEF, GIZ (GZT), UNAIDS, RTJS, the UN Information Centre, the Togolese Network of Journalists Against HIV/AIDS, 14 radio stations and dozens of activists and community-based organizations.
Publication:
M. Wegelin-Schuringa, G.Tiendrebeogo (2004) Techniques and practices for local responses to HIV/AIDS : part 2: Practices. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) – KIT Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands