By Chancy Namadzunda, Lilongwe-Malawi

"HIV is like fire, if you do not stroke fire, it will die out. However, fire would not die out if it is continually given dry firewood," Kenneth Kaunda, first president of the Republic of Zambia.

Since the advent of HIV/AIDS in Malawi 22 years ago, the virus continues to spread at a rocket space to all ages, class and races in the country. People from the cities, towns and the rural areas are dancing to the tune of the pandemic in one way or the other.

It is against this background that Faith Based Organisations (FBO), Community Based Organisations (CBO), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) mushroomed - with some still coming up- to try their luck in preventing the spreading of this deadly disease.

Many of these organisations are based in the urban areas. Urbanised organisations are lucky for they are more accessible and resourced unlike those in the rural areas that survive on meansrable conditions and total volunteerism. They are short lived and soon disappear leaving many rural people to suffer more and in silence.

Therefore, information is mainly available to those living in the urban sectors, yet there is cause for optimism; rural Malawians want to learn more about sexual health matters but they have nowhere to go. these unfortunate poor people are deprived from vital information such as ways of contacting the virus and ways of ably living with it whilst contributing to the country's development.

AIDS frequently perpetuates and deepens where there is hardly sexual and reproductive health information and education. In this case, in most areas where knowledge and skills to protect themselves, in particular from HIV is not available.

People in the rural areas constitutes the majority of the country’s population and are more than twice as likely poor than those in the urban sector. they live far from health centers and hospitals which often requires long walking or money to make it there thereby creating a major barrier.

As a model, Hayitoni Rabson, born in 1973 had to leave one of the rural district Dowa in the central region to the Capital City-Lilongwe, not in the 80's but in 2006 to be told that he has the virus.

"At first, I had the impression that I was bewitched by my fellow tenants at the farm where I was working because of the frequent illness mainly malaria, headache and diolorhea. By then, I knew nothing on HIV and AIDS. Any suspicious illness was attributed to witchcraft," said Rabson who could spent over 6 months without listening to the only means of communication-the radio.

Due to his suspicion on witchcraft, Dyson visited as many witchdoctors as possible but all of them could not arrest the suffering. He finally gave in and thought of approaching his relations in Lilongwe who upon his arrival, he was advised to be tested at the hospital.

"I reluctantly went to Kamuzu Central Hospital, the Lighthouse section where a got tested positive of the virus. I was shocked because HIV and AIDS was news to me because a looked at it as a myth. It took the doctor a whale of time to counsel me.

"After getting it all, I swallowed my fear and took the courage to fight for my life. My first CD 4 count was 89, I was given the first bottle of ARV's in September 2007 and after six months, my CD4 count shot up to 289,'" said Rabson, married with 4 children while acknowledging that during the dark age he used to go out with both married woman and girls.

Lucky is Rabson, whose belief in witchcraft gave him courage to leave Dowa-where there is little or knowledge on the pandemic-to Lilongwe where even a lad can tell you almost all information on HIV/AIDS. But what about those he left in Dowa?

From 2006 to date, how many are infected because of Rabson. With the little information, the chain has grown long and possibly many have already died..

But will there be a time where rural people will be at par with their urban fellows in as far as information dissemination and education is concerned?

Director of St Peters Youth Organisation Brian Kuntindi believes that many organisations fail to reach the rural people because of monetary benefits as they rarely get donation than those in the urban.

"Organisations which are in the cities and towns are very exposed than those in the rural areas. So when we apply for donations, we are assured of being successful because the impact will always be there. Again, there are difficulties to reach in the remote areas because of transportation," said Kuntindi whose organisation is based in Lilongwe but added that plans are there to reach out to rural areas.

It is only the FBO's through the local churches that can disseminate HIV/AIDS messages but cultural norms do affect them again as most people feel some messages are against their cultural believes.

As the country commemorates the World AIDS Day, it is high to consider those living in the remote areas.