When I joined the about 30 CBZ staff at the bank’s retail branch in Samora Machel Avenue last Wednesday, I thought I would be there only for the duration of Edzai Isu’s workplace theatre drama called Hanya Nani 1, which was being presented there.

Little did I know I was in for a rude awakening. I have to confess, my job is rather on the casual side, it is not an 8am to 5pm job neither are we supposed to wear suits and look presentable all the time, not to say we are not presentable.
I found myself feeling a little out of place as I joined those executives who all spoke eloquently and confidently about what they have read, what they think and after the play what they had learnt or deduced from the 30-minute drama.

Hanya Nani 1, an HIV and Aids awareness play, is a play I have watched before, but on Wednesday I watched and listened to it through the eyes and ears of professional men and women, who had put their work on hold for close to two hours to watch a piece of drama.
I did not know the seriousness with which the organisation takes such matters. Crammed into what I figured to be a boardroom, the moderator of the programme started off with questions for the audience, asking them if they thought it was beneficial for the company to use its resources on making them watch plays.

Whether or not everyone in the audience understood how HIV and Aids is spread and if they understood the importance of knowing their status as the age group (20-49) that is affected the most by the disease.

The lady, Mrs Kupeta, made it known to the audience how ignorance on HIV and Aids affects the bottom line of many companies, thus the reason for bringing drama to the workplace.

After the short introductory words, which also helped in grabbing the attention of the 30-plus audience, it was time for the business of the day. Tafadzwa Muzondo and his small team burst onto the stage in song and immediately got the attention they sought.

For the next 30 minutes, some laughed, others not so much while others shed soft tears, as the play gave a blow by blow account of how easily HIV can spread and destroy the lives of not only those infected by the disease, but families, friends, companies and society as a whole.
The play started and ended on a high note, but it was the one-hour or so discussion period that followed which amazed me.

The performance had stirred emotions as it talked directly to the bankers in their own language, making reference to their jobs and positions at work, while going deep to talk about issues of positive living.

I was shocked though, as they took time to debate whether or not to make condoms available within the company for free to the employees, a subject that has since been concluded. I was tempted to tell them that it was now accepted everywhere within Zimbabwe that companies should make available condoms to their employees and that the

debate had long shifted to whether or not condoms should be made available in schools and prisons.

I liked that their employees who are on anti-retroviral drugs can access the life-saving pills confidentially through their personal doctors as opposed to other companies whereby such drugs are specially sourced by the organisation, thus dealing a blow to the privacy issue.

Interestingly, Hanya Nani 1 will be followed by Hanya Nani 2 and Hanya Nani 3, which will all be showcased in all CBZ branches nationwide, a feat, I feel, goes a long way in showing how serious the bank is about its workers’ health.

• Feedback: mtandazo.dube@zimpapers.co.zw or phone in on 04-795771 ext 1358 from Tuesdays till Saturdays.