Year 1 Quarter 1 Report on HIV/AIDS sensitization campaign

Background

In June 2005 Peace Child Sierra Leone signed a contract with Global Funds for HIV/AIDS for the implementation of the project. The project is to provide knowledge and skills on HIV/AIDS prevention among youths. The first phase of the implementation of the project was based on the following activities: 

• Conduct visits and talks in all operational areas
• Organize series of one-day sensitisation sessions for youth and adolescence and school children to serve as channel to talk to their peers and community members in selected communities.
• Provide training through social events like school and community based drama and radio discussions among youth groups
• Organize TOT for youth representatives on life skills
• Organize training for  youth counsellors in counselling skills

 Implementation Report

Activity One: Pre-implementation Visitations

 Pre-implementation visitations were made to the targeted communities with view of appraising them of the component of the project and consulting with them on appropriate days for specific project activities.

conclusion:

The outcome was that each community was able to agree on dates and time for the sensitisation sessions.

 Activity Two: Sensitisation Sessions

Between June and September 2005 PCSL team conducted visitations to the following targeted communities:

1. Western Area Youth Development Organisation (Ataya Base Network) at Regent and Sackville Street junction
2. Sierra Leone Motor Drivers and Transport Owners Union at Shell Company, Kissy
3. Mandela Youths at Ross Road
4. Convention Youths Development Organisation at Adelaide Street
5. Konya Hair Dressing Enterprise at Upper Brook Street
6. Hill Station youth development organisation [Black Brain]
7. Fourah Bay College

The average audience of each of these target groups was 80 young persons. In each of the communities presentations were made by PCSL resource team on the following topics:

     1.      Basic concept of HIV/AIDS – The reality of the existence of the virus and disease;

2.      Prevention of the HIV/AIDS, STDS and related complications;

3.      The role of young people in the process of prevention and control;

4.      Cultural and traditional misconception of the disease;

5.      Encouraging people to their HIV/AIDS status through established and reliable voluntary testing centres.

 After each presentation discussion were held followed by questions and answers.

conclusion:

PCSL team was to observe the following:

• Disbelief among some members of the target communities about the existence of the HIV/AIDS;
• the fear of undertaking volunteering test for fear of being tested positive and in the event create “shame and stigma’’;
• ignorance about the existence of treatment for the disease on one hand and the access to it even among those who may know about it existence.

 Such observations were taken note of by PCSL team with the view of incorporating answers to them in the second phase of the project.

Activity Three : School based quiz, drama and essay competition

There has been a little hold on for the implementation of this activity.  The major reason has been that schools, which are the major target groups, are on holidays. However PCSL has been able to alternately hold discussion with some schools that are running summer classes. Plans are well underway for this component to be implemented in such schools.

Activity Four: Radio discussion and talk shows among youth groups

Preliminary arrangements have been made with the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service and Radio UNAMSIL for the youth radio discussion programme. This activity is scheduled to start in the second quarter. 

Activity Five: TOT for youth Reps in life skills programme

 On July 29 and 30 2005, two days Training of Trainers workshop on life skills was conducted at the conference room of PCSL. 50 participants from various youth groups were in attendance and resource persons were taken from college lecturers and social workers.

 The content of the training included the following:

     1.      Life skills and Peer Education: Theory and practice

2.      School Life skills for HIV/AIDS Prevention

3.      Peer Education

4.      Introduction to TOT Manual for HIV/AIDS

5.      Project Design, Implementation and Management

 The purpose of the workshop was to give participants the necessary tools and knowledge to be able to conduct similar training in their respective communities and groups.

 conclusion:

At the end of the session participants were encouraged to come back with feedbacks as they go on implementing the skills they have got from the training. The TOT Manual was distributed to all participants. This was going to be the basis for their intervention among their peer groups.

 Activity Six: Training of Counsellors from Youths Groups in counselling skills

 On Monday 1 August 2005 a day’s session for the training of youth counsellors was conducted at the PCSL conference room. 45 participants were drawn from among youth representatives of groups PCSL has been working with.

 The content of the training included the following: 

     1.      Introduction to HIV/AIDS

2.    Psycho-social effects of HIV/AIDS

3.      Guidance and counselling skills for people living with HIV/AIDS and other related  complications

 4.   Trauma healing for people living with HIV/AIDS

Social workers and a team of PCSL team facilitated and served as resource persons for the session.

Overall conclusion 

The aforementioned activities could be considered as a right start in the implementation of the entire project. It could be however stated that the fist phase of the project has not entirely followed as per the implementation plan. This is as result of the non-availability of some of the materials and resources. It is in this note considered that when all materials and equipments are made available greater results will be derived from the full implementation of the remaining project activities.