This program aims at developing the skills and knowledge of the Anti-HIV/AIDS Clubs in villages in Southern Province of Rwanda to support them in problem solving, project management, and promoting greater awareness of responsible sexual behavior. The ultimate goal is to reduce the prevalence of sexually related health problems, with the intention of spreading awareness to the greater community through the training of young leaders.
Program Targets:
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- Work with anti HIV/AIDS Youth clubs (5 Village youth clubs)
- Organizing football competitions between Clubs
- Training sessions with the clubs and primary school students
- Organize national and global anti HIV/AIDS campaigns (World AIDS Day and Candle Light Memorial)
- Voluntary counseling and testing programs (VCT)
The main activities conducted in the framework of the HIV Prevention program are:
Community education: RVCP is currently performing HIV education sessions in primary schools and in non-schooling youth of the Huye District. RVCP has established 8 Anti-AIDS youth clubs providing them education about reproductive health and family planning. HIV teaching sessions are also addressed to the LLCCM orphans during holiday time. The teaching program consists of a module which is developed in a series of education sessions. The module is comprised of anatomy and physiology of the genitals, modes of HIV transmission, symptoms, prevention methods, HIV virus and AIDS, opportunistic infections, voluntary testing, treatment and care of people living with HIV/AIDS, culture and taboo sex related topics, gender and HIV/AIDS, reproductive health and family planning.
The overall goal of these sessions is to educate the members as well as strengthen their self-esteem to make them able to become peer-educators in their community so that they can spread the received knowledge and commitment on HIV/AIDS. Income generating projects with Youth clubs, poverty, and low income have always been pointed out to be the main factors that induce young people to engage in unhealthy sexual behaviors. It is therefore obvious that the issue of income needs to be addressed if people are to embrace life promoting behaviors. It is in this framework that RVCP helps the youth clubs to start income generating projects and provides them with advices to increase their production. The projects usually involve growing crops, keeping animals, handcraft, and entertainment.
Joining the Global Campaign against HIV/AIDS Rwanda Village Concept Project joins national and international campaigns to fight against HIV/AIDS including the World AIDS Day (WAD) and the International Candle Light Memorial.
Both events are organized by RVCP in collaboration with local partners annually. The Candlelight Memorial March aims at concentrating public attention on the damages caused by HIV/AIDS in the world and to express solidarity to the people affected by the disease. Prior to the WAD, R-VCP organizes community outreach programs to sensitize the population about HIV/AIDS. The community mobilization involve sports competition between the different groups of young people and adults to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in the community.
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