Report on. World AIDS Day commemoration

Transcription

1 Report on World AIDS Day commemoration Inter Aide and Dombolo Free World 4th of December 2009 This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of Inter Aide and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union. 1

2 PRESENTATION The World AIDS Day commemoration took place in Mombo School ground (Mthiramanja TA), on the 4 th of December 2009, as a continuation of the international WORLD AIDS DAY. There were three tents on the ground: one for the Youth clubs and the audience, one for the guests and one tent was used as a pavilion. There were also three tents for VCT (Voluntary Counselling and Testing). The ceremony started with a prayer. Pietry (the finance director of Dombolo Free World) was the master of ceremony and he introduced the invited guests to the audience: - District Youth Officer for Mulanje - Senior Chief Mthiramanja - Project Officer Inter Aide, Mulanje - Directors of Dombolo Free World - Village headmen/women - Youth Clubs - Community based organisation - Youth networks YOUTH HEALTH MULANJE AND DOMBOLO INTRODUCTION As the meeting starts, it was time to introduce the Mulanje Youth Health project. This project comprises two organisations, Inter Aide and Dombolo Free World : Inter Aide is an international NGO working with Youth clubs, Faith and Local Leaders, initiators and the community on a training component. The aim of Inter Aide and Dombolo Free World partnership is to strengthen Dombolo the local NGO. Dombolo Free World is a local NGO which provide HTC services to the community 2

3 PAVILION In this pavilion, all activities conducted by Inter Aide and Dombolo Free World in 2009 were presented. Guests and other people could see for themselves what the project consists in, and all project activities. They stayed one hour to visit all the stands, listen to the explanations and they asked a lot of questions to the trainers, the field coordinator and counsellors. The first place to be visited was the Training component stand. This stand was made to explain to everyone what is the Youth Health Project, what have been done in the field about HIV/AIDS, what is our target and what do trainers and field coordinator do together with youth, initiators, Faith and Local leaders and the communities. Visiting this stand, people could see some posters, some videos and photos about outreach activities conducted in the field by the Youth Clubs. There were also male and female condoms demonstrations (condom use) and the component provided free condoms, free posters and trainers gave explanations about the training guide. Another stand presented the HTC component. In this stand, counsellors explained what they are doing, working both static and mobile sites, and they gave explanations about blood testing and counselling. 3

4 clients have been tested from August 2008 to July 2009 and were found HIV positive with a prevalence rate of 9%. Visiting this stand, people could see posters, testing kits, safety box and maps showing where the project has worked in GROUP ACTIVITIES The ceremony was spiced up by activities conducted by different youth groups: CLUB NAME ACTIVITY THEME VENUE ATTENDANCE Tazuka YC Traditional Dance M F Kambenje YC Traditional Dance Stop AIDS and Chigonjeso YC Traditional Dance keep the promise. Mombo Tithanzidane YC Drama Chibalani YC Traditional Dance Focusing on School Atela Mbuniba AT Drama Accessing Dambo CBO Traditional Dance HIV/AIDS Ground Shalom YC Drama information is a Ligomba YC Drama right to everyone Mombo school Traditional Dance Dalitso YC Drama Chigwirizano YC Drama CONDOM DISTRIBUTION Number of Male Condoms 757 condoms distributed to 121 males Number of Female condoms 177 condoms distributed to 59 females HTC SERVICES Number of people tested 139 4

5 TESTIMONY This day could not end without some one giving out his testimony. We had one person who explained his blood status. He is a member of Tizitukule Youth Club. Before he got tested, he observed some strange health troubles in his body such as swollen feet and headache. He went for blood test and was found HIV positive but the advice he got from the counsellor helped him maintain his immunity. Then, he encourages his friends to go for blood test so as to have good picture of their health. SPEECHES During the ceremony, several people made a speech: Mulanje District Youth Officer Mthiramanja Senior chief Inter AideYouth Health Project Officer Dombolo Free World Director The DYO and the senior chief thanked the project for having such a wonderful ceremony as a continuation of the World AIDS day campaign. They said that it is good that other projects should imitate such example; the message delivered on that day will help the community to think what they have to do combat the disease and try to remember those who died of AIDS. In his speech, the Inter Aide Project Officer and the Dombolo Free World director thanked the community for coming and guests for their time to attend the event, as without them, the ceremony wouldn t have been a success. They asked them to continue to participate in some community events. They said that fighting AIDS should be a daily struggle and that everyone should feel concerned. 10 th December 2009, Thuchila From Ryson Simbota (Trainer) and Isabelle Boutry (Inter Aide Project Officer assistant) 5