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Together We Can Fight the Spread of HIV/AIDS
Written by
Katie Lawson
, Staff Writer, RedCross.org
Friday, December 02, 2005 — Yesterday marked the 17th commemoration of World AIDS Day, a day set aside to memorialize the lives that have been lost to the disease, to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and to share successes in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
First recognized in 1988 by the World Health Organization, World AIDS Day is observed on Dec. 1 every year. With nearly five million people newly-infected with HIV in 2005, the need for education and safe practices related to the disease continues to grow. This year’s World AIDS Day theme, “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise,” urges individuals to make a commitment to do their part in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
In partnership with the national Red Cross Societies of Tanzania, Haiti and Guyana, the American Red Cross is successfully implementing the “Together We Can” (TWC) project. TWC engages in education and community mobilization programs for youth ages 10-24 in these three countries to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. To date, TWC has reached more than 300,000 young people through curriculum based interventions, peer to peer outreach and community mobilization events. In addition, nearly 1 million youth have been reached through public service announcements (PSAs) and health shows played on local radio stations.
Peer educators in the “Together We Can” program in the Kigoma region of Tanzania use rapping skills to spread HIV/AIDS prevention messages to other youth.
(Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Tanzania Red Cross)
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TWC focuses on strengthening HIV-related life skills for young people ages 10-24. TWC programs involve a highly participatory 12-hour, 17-activity curriculum. This curriculum has been used by the American Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies with more than a dozen Red Cross Societies in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean since 1993.
Each curriculum session is facilitated by a pair of trained Red Cross youth peer educators. Youth attending these sessions are asked to share key messages about what they have learned with their peers. Each youth reaches up to ten of his or her friends, neighbors and siblings in this manner. Youth also get involved through community mobilization events such as concerts, street theater and mass media. Outreach strategies are designed to encourage better decision-making skills and promote safer sexual practices. The prevention messaging emphasizes abstinence, monogamy, proper condom use and other healthy behaviors for at-risk youth.
In Tanzania, TWC reached nearly 178,000 youths last year through TWC curriculum sessions, peer-to-peer outreach and community mobilization events. With the assistance of a PSA regularly airing on a popular radio station, Tanzania Red Cross staff members in the Kigoma region are sharing HIV messages and educational programming. Air time, generously donated by the station, has been ideal in reducing program costs while reaching a widespread part of the Tanzanian youth population. These messages successfully reach as many as 300,000 youth listeners every Monday.
Cynthia Ayers, Head of Delegation in Tanzania, oversaw the TWC program since its inception in April of 2004. As someone closely associated with the program, Ayers believes peer education is an essential part of the fight against HIV/AIDS.
This group of peer educators is the first to be trained from Cité Soleil. The "Together We Can" program is one of only a handful able to operate in this extremely unstable, poverty-stricken zone within the capital city of Port-au-Prince.
(Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Haitian Red Cross)
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“The peer educators are able to reach out to their friends better than adults,” said Ayers. “Young people aged 10 to 24 can relate better to experiences being expressed by those their own age, and they are listening.”
In Kasulu, Tanzania, there are various TWC events organized by coaches and peer educators that are held in schools, churches and community centers. Many young people come forward to give their testimony or share poetry about a way in which HIV/AIDS has affected their life. Often, musicians and choir groups will sing songs related to HIV/AIDS. Song lyrics provide educational messages, discussing how HIV is and is not transmitted or the common myths about the disease. With this knowledge, citizens are able to better protect themselves and are less likely to be infected.
The TWC program in Tanzania has been extremely successful, according to Ayers.
“There had been such an improvement in the HIV [prevention] skills and knowledge for at-risk children in Tanzania. The program really is making a difference,” said Ayers.
The Red Cross also operates TWC programs in Guyana in South America. In January 2005, heavy rains inundated the country with the worst flooding seen in decades. As the Guyana Red Cross became the center of relief efforts, TWC educators and staff conducted HIV health talks at community shelters for the many flood victims. During this period of devastation, an unexpected advantage arose to double efforts in those areas not affected by the massive flooding. The interior of the country saw an increased number of workshops and events promoting the TWC messaging in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Last year, TWC in Guyana reached nearly 17,000 young people despite the floods.
Haitian Red Cross volunteers prepare Information, Education, and Communication materials to distribute to youth at a community mobilization event.
(Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Haitian Red Cross)
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The Haitian Red Cross has taken a different approach to promote responsible behavior to minimize HIV/AIDS risks by calling on well-known local musicians to record PSAs. With the voices of TWC educators and Joseph Zenny of the popular Haitian band Konpa Kreyol, the PSA encourages youth to avoid the temptation to become sexually active. This spot was aired during the Carnival celebration in February 2005 in hopes that the tag line, “When it comes to AIDS, no one will watch out for you better than yourself” would remind people to be safe and protect themselves.
Despite continued political instability in Haiti, the TWC program reached over 75,000 young people last year through TWC curriculum sessions, peer-to-peer outreach and community mobilization events. The Haiti project team, working in unstable and poverty stricken areas, has demonstrated their commitment to helping their fellow Haitian youth avoid HIV infection.
Although great steps have been taken in the treatment, care and prevention of HIV and AIDS, there is still a long journey ahead. Join the Red Cross by learning more about World AIDS Day and making a promise to do your part to stop the spread of HIV and AIDS.
Learn more about Red Cross HIV/AIDS Projects or visit the American Red Cross HIV/AIDS Education programs section on Redcross.org.
You can help those affected by countless crises around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. Call 1-800-RED CROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the International Response Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation.
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