Grassroots networking at heart of AIDS meeting

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

MEXICO CITY (AFP) — With her immaculate face, cheekbones to die for and slim legs showcased by a slinky black microskirt, Dr. Safelove is unforgettable as a promoter of safe sex among teenage girls.

"I tell my girls, 'Girls, everyone needs to carry a condom. Take one and carry it in your back pocket. Always judge a penis by its cover'," says the doctor in a cut-glass English accent.

What makes Dr. Safelove especially memorable is that she's not even human -- she's a glove puppet, part of an unusual tactic to help sexual health in the era of AIDS.

The good doctor's voice belongs to a South African, Dina Kaplan, who works with a French-based group, Puppeteers without Borders, which trains teachers, nurses and sex educators in the skills of puppeteering....