NPR Profiles Ugandan Musician Using Music To Encourage HIV Tests Among Former Child Soldiers

NPR's "Day to Day" on Tuesday profiled Samite, a Ugandan singer and instrumentalist who uses his music to reach former child soldiers in the country and encourage them to be tested for HIV. According to Samite, his latest CD, "Embalasasa," relates to "what is happening right now with sex," which is "very poisonous" in Uganda and other countries affected by HIV/AIDS. NPR reports that Samite is using his music to reach child soldiers and refugees -- many of whom are HIV-positive -- by gaining their trust and encouraging them to talk with him. In the interview, Samite describes how by speaking with three young girls, he learned of about 130 girls who wanted to be tested for HIV because of their experiences with rape and abuse (Rath, "Day to Day," NPR, 3/21). The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.