Guatemala

Life-Skills Training

Young people are making decisions that are adversely affecting their lives, often getting involved in street gangs, drug and alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancy and being exposed to the risk of contracting HIV. This vicious cycle is repeated from generation to generation.

We want to break the cycle!

A one-year values based life-skills curriculum which focuses on character development, respect for self and others and how to make good decisions is taught in local schools.

Many of these children and young people come from broken homes. They are being influenced by local gangs called "maras". Additionally they are continuously subjected to the reality of physical abuse and malnutrition.

In teaching a values based curriculum that focuses on character development, and giving personal mentoring, youth are receiving the necessary tools to change the course of their lives.

Russia

Educating youth about drugs and lifestyle choices

It is a sad fact in Russia that men, in particular, go to an early grave. On average a Russian man is lucky to make it to 60. In the frozen heart of Siberia they die even younger - around 57. Alcohol is by far the biggest killer. More than half a million Russians drink themselves to death every year.

But since the early 2000s, another killer has been spreading at frightening speed across Russia. Actually there are two of them, one closely stalking the other. The first is heroin. The second is HIV. In the US, there are around 800,000 heroin addicts. In the UK, between 200,000 and 300,000. In Russia, there are now two and a half million. BBC Report, April 2010

Russia now has the dubious distinction of being the country with the fastest growing HIV infection rate in the world.

A team of twelve (many of whom are also former drug users) go into schools, colleges and drug rehabilitation centres to educate and warn young people about the dangers of drug addiction and HIV.

South Africa

An important part of the AIDS ministry in South Africa is the work amongst youth.

Young people in South Africa are one of the groups most affected by HIV & AIDS. Many children and teens are growing up in households or institutions (often as orphans) that are burdened by this disease.

They are confronted with the problem but have no way to cope with it. Therefore, training young people from communities where HIV & AIDS are serious issues is key.

This training focuses not only on the subject of HIV prevention and treatment, but also morality and character formation. The team is also involved in training in universities, community groups and churches as well as conducting weekly life skills and HIV & AIDS prevention programmes in schools.

Nepal

Child Sponsorship

Keep a Child in school.

Nepal is facing increased HIV and AIDS prevalence. Those suffering from AIDS are often abandoned and left destitute. No longer having an extended family structure (often due to rejection because of their HIV status) they struggle to keep their children in school and to put food on the table.

AIDSLink Nepal is helping them regain hope and dignity by enabling them to access medical treatment, learn business skills and receive counseling.

Research has shown that a child born to a mother who can read is 50% more likely to survive past the age of five, and a girl who completes basic education is three times less likely to contract HIV.

The child sponsorship programme helps parents to pay school fees on time, buy school supplies, and uniforms for the children.

Psycho-social support is given to the children via the support group. Each year an outing to a local park or another venue is organised for the children.

AIDSLink staff monitor the physical and emotional health of the children via the HIV support group meetings and home visits.

Thus far 16 children have been able to stay in primary school and pass their end of year exams for the past two years.

US$20 keeps a child in primary school for a month

Literature & Multi Media

All over the world, people have misconceptions about how someone contracts HIV or AIDS. Most people would rather stay away from someone with HIV and don't realize how very hurtful this attitude is. Lack of knowledge and unfounded fears often result in stigma and discrimination.

Accurate information about the subject needs to be made known. We are distributing a number of books with a proven track record.

Unfortunatly there is not a lot of material in languages other than English so we are emphasizing the translation and distribution of books in other languages.

Amongst the books we are distributing are:

Brenda Has a Dragon in her Blood

The story of a child living with HIV. This book touches both the child who it is read to and the person reading it, directly addressing stigma and teaching the correct facts.

Live It Up Magazine

The Caribbean is second only to Sub-Saharan Africa in HIV prevalence. Those most affected are young people, under age 25. Ignorance, stigma, discrimination, myths and early initiation to sexual activity have a direct relationship to the spread of HIV. This comic style magazine has been especially designed for use in the Caribbean.

AIDS Free Generation

(comic format) is written for adolescents.

Action AIDS

by Dr. Patrick Dixon is being widely distributed.

We are also distributing various flyers which raise awareness about HIV and AIDS.