HIV/AIDS EDUCATION AND AWARENESS PROGRAM

There are two areas of HIV/AIDS Education and Awareness. The first is the adult population who acquire HIV/AIDS in a variety of ways, and the second is the youth who, with the appropriate knowledge and education, can be a key factor in overcoming HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS AND THE NEEDS OF YOUTH

A UNICEF/UNAIDS/WHO report “Young People and HIV/AIDS” stresses that young people are the hardest hit by HIV/AIDS. At the same time they are the key to overcoming it, but strategies to combat the epidemic often ignore them. Young people lack knowledge about how HIV/AIDS spreads, or how to protect themselves from disease. The focus of Livelihood Development is to further the scope of the present AIDS Education Group for Youth Project to include HIV/AIDS/STD’s, family planning, reproductive health and general management of tropical diseases.

CURRENT LDI ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH

Currently, through our activities, a large number of youth in the district know about AIDS/STDS, its transmission and prevention. Local and peer group leaders have been trained and schools visited to offer health education related to AIDS. From these initiatives it has been learned that local village councils who have actively participated in the HIV/AIDS program are in the best position to contribute and plan youth activities.

The objectives of the expanded HIV/AIDS Youth program are to:

• provide gender balanced reproductive services including family planning.

• reduce AIDS/HIV/STDS infection especially in youth and young adults.

Strategies for the Youth Program include:

• creating awareness of health problems in the district

• learning about reproductive health and sexuality

• increasing knowledge about AIDS/HIV/STDS

• providing preventive health education and curative services for tropical infections

• producing IEC materials in the local language and information exchange.

The project uses local community based initiatives to approach health issues who identify, analyze and plan the activities.

Proposed Health Program Activities for Youth are:

To do a community needs assessment, to establish and equip a resource centre, to train selected youth leaders to disseminate AIDS/HIV/STD messages, to provide leadership training for youth leaders, local leaders such as primary and secondary teachers, and religious leaders.

CONCLUSION

The LDI Youth Program will have an impact on the containment of HIV/AIDs and other STD’s. Youth benefit from their new knowledge and having access to health care.

For further information contact: info@LivelihoodDevelopmentAfrica.org