Bridging the Gap: Conference Record [Abstract book, International Conference on AIDS (12th: 1998: Geneva, Switzerland)]

664 Abstracts 33367-33373

12th World AIDS Conference

33367 Alphabetisation as a powerful way to prevent the
HIV/AIDS and STD among the moslem communities of
older people
Ruben Mbaiasra. B.P 1442 Ndjamena, TCHAD
The objective of this paper is to show that some category of aged people should
be necessary informed from the HIV/AIDS and STD prevention. We also try
to demonstrate that education could not be done regardless uneducated older
persons.
In Chad, more than 80% of the population are ignorant. Aged people from 60
years old (particularly men) remain sexually active: they keep on making children.
Written messages such as leaflets, posters, booklets, cartoons and others on
AIDS could not be understood by those unlettered people. As the main way of
the HIV/AIDS transmission is heterosexual in our communities, some of the local
organisations are trying to alphabetise young people and older people from 12
to 65 years old. Both males and females are getting benefit from the evening
courses which are held. Older people who attend the courses get very able to
speak either to the youths or to elder ones who continue to have sexual relations
with women (some of their wives are youngest than their small children).
110 people were "educated". And through one-to-one information, 580 elder
people are seriously awared of the HIV/AIDS risks. The project has a very wide
impact on the populations including HIV/AIDS and STD prevention on one hand,
and the family planning on the other hand.
S33368 People living with HIV/AIDS reaching out to schools
David Musaka Sekirevu1, D.L. Lukenge2. lc/o James M Kasavubu, Sheraton
Hotel, PO Box 7041, Kampala; 2Philly Lutaaya Initiative, Kampala, Uganda
Issue: Young people in schools can be accessed with HIV/AIDS messages to
influence them adopt forms of safe sexual behaviour that do not expose them to
the risk of HIV/STD infection and early unwanted pregnancies.
Project: An Initiative of PWAs organises sensitization sessions in schools for
youth between 10-20 years equipping them with basic information on HIV and
AIDS and safe sexual practices then PWAs share testimonies of living with the
virus. Staffing includes PWAs working as volunteer educators, professionally
qualified social workers and teachers who act as trainers to moderate outreach
sessions, counsellors for supportive counselling to reduce PWAs 'burn out' and
help them cope positively, a research officer and a Coordinator. Other activities include production of reading and audio-visual materials, managing and monitoring
income generating activities for PWAs to try improve their quality of life.
Results: The approach is received by the targetted youth with appreciation as
they personalise the life experiences shared and the subsequent questions by
the audience reflect readiness to re-examine their life styles especially what puts
them and others at risk. Messages bring about attitudinal and behavioural change
for example the postponement of first incidence of intercourse in youth who are
not yet sexually active or try to lower risky behaviour in those already sexually
active so as to increase the average age of infection/or pregnancy.
Lessons Learned: Youth have but are ready to be equipped with and experiment new skills necessary to practice safe sexual behaviour. They are willing
to be encouraged into behavioural norms amongst them and their peer groups
that support the form of sexual behaviour chosen by individual youth. Resources
that support behaviour change options such as condoms and HIV, STD and
pregnancy testing can be accessible and acceptable to young people.
33369 Intervention programme among truck drivers in South
India
G. Kumaressan. 86 Workers Estate Neelangarai Chenna 1-600 041, India
Issue: Truck drivers are vulnerable to STD/HIV/AIDS through up-protected sexual
intercourse.
Project: Given the prevelance of STDs/HIV among truckers, the intervention
project Was formulatted and implemented in four centes at Tamil Nadu and one
centre at Andhra Pradesh. The strategy includes conducting interpersonal counselling, group counselling, promotion of free condoms and STD referral services.
The project includes peer educators and also organising & conducting specialised
training programme in the field of sex and sexuality and counselling.
Results: Recently we have conducted a survey among 200 truckers and its
reveals that 60 truckers admitted that they have stopped sexual activity with sex
workers and 30 truckers said that they have reduced sexual exposures.
In our experience we found that the positive approach should be administered
in the project since we found that truckers felt that they are been isolated from
the community.
33370 Integrated adolescent reproductive health for out of
school girls in Makoko Riverine Community, Nigeria
Sunday David Adedayo. Health Matters Inc, Block 1 Suites 3&4, LSDPC

Building Esther Osiyemi Street, Ilupeju, Nigeria
Objective: (1) To increase the awareness about the problems of AIDS/STDs and
drugs among vulnerable groups. (2) To equip 800 out of school Adolescents in
a slum community with decision making skills. (3) To assist 20 youths in micro
credit skills development programme.
Method: A Pre-proposal visit was conducted with the aim of knowing the needs
of the community members with regards to their health needs. KAPB survey was

conducted with the community. The target group was the adolescent out of school
girls between the ages of 9-18 yrs. FGD was conducted to see how it significantly
correlates with KAPB findings. Subsequently, TOT was conducted for selected
out of school adolescents and peer educators recruited. Training in micro credit
skills was conducted for 20 youths and sustainability introduced.
Results: Vulnerable and slum communities need an Integrated HIV/AIDS and
drug programme for the adolescent population. 1600 out of school Youths were
reached thus increasing the target by 100%. A counselling centre was constructed
within the community and over 800 out of school youths were counselled.
This programme has been most useful in addressing the needs of vulnerable
and powerless communities. There is the need to empower poor community with
economic and decision making skills as a way of enhancing their self esteem.
An Integrated approach should be employed in reaching vulnerable and disadvantaged community.
S33371 | Impact of IEC/Outreach programs on the prevention of
HIV/AIDS/STDs in southwestern Nigeria
Idowu Popoola Bakare. 1st Floor, Aje house Annexe Lebanon Str GPO Box
1879 Dugbe Ibadan Oyo State, Nigeria
Issue: Secondary school youths susceptible to HIV/AIDS through unguided sex
in S/W Nigeria require innovative and action oriented intervention and awareness.
Project: Youths, who often do not understand how to protect themselves
against STDs including HIV/AIDS are usually at risk. Since our society frown on
pre-marital sex, young people feel embarrassed to seek help from adults. To prevent youths falling prey to HIV infection, several IEC programs were put in place
by Movement Against AIDS/STDs (MAIDS), Nigeria to educate youths on sex
education which encourages responsible and ethical behaviour, including higher
levels of abstinence, later start of sexual activity, higher use of contraceptives and
fewer sexual partners. The programs include workshops, television, film, drama,
exhibitions, newspaper; publications like "AIDS: PREVENTION THROUGH EDUCATION" which were distributed in tens of thousands among students.
Results: The outreach programs has a great impact on the prevention of
HIV/AIDS in South/Western Nigeria. Apart from the eagerness of students to join
the anti-AIDS clubs, which has 127 members in 5 schools in 1995 and increased
to over 1,568 in 42 schools in 1997. Cases of STDs, unwanted pregnancies and
abortion are relatively reduced during the period under review.
Lessons Learnt: Outreach programs among youths are likely to be successful
if they are participatory in nature; and materials and information supplied at the
right time and in right form.
33372 AIDS prevention by informal youth groups in the slums
Akash Gulalia. Department of Social Work 3-University Road University of Delhi,
India
Issue: Vulnerable youth population in slums require indigenous leadership and
techniques to create environment for AIDS awarness.
Project: AIDS is likely to have a devastating impact on youth population in
slums. Slums have meagre helath services, high illitracy and a lot of misconceptions about HIV/AIDS. The community based groups have a positive role in
prevention of HIV/AIDS. This project aims at creating awarness by use of Informal/Innovative media created and managed by youth of the slum. Training and
games are also developed to dispel fears and misconception. All the methods
are low cost and culture specific.
Results: This has raised interest of people in HIV/AIDS prevention. The group
has demonstrated skills and techniques of outreach which surpass many barriers
and evolved into an indigenous leadership outreach programme for risk reduction.
Lessons Learned: Prevention activities and awarness programmes are successful if they are built on Community leadership and resources.

I333731

The impact of appropriate delineation of a heterogenous
target population into homogenous subgroups on
HIV/STD intervention project among long distance
drivers (LDD) in Cross River State, Nigeria

Hubert Obule Ogar1, Eka Esu Williams2, Okon Ikpeme1. 1Society Against the
Spread of AIDS (SASA), 53 Edgerly Road, Calabar, Negeria; 2Population
Council, Washington, DC, USA
Objective: To delineate target population in motor park/boat yard environment
into smaller homogenous groups for effective communication and intervention.
Project: The project is prevention of sexual transmission of HIV/STDs among
LDDs and other motor park users, a sub-project of Family Health International
(FHI). The project sites were 16 motor parks and 4 boat yards with very dynamic
and sexually active population background. Each project site-comprised of multiple sub-groups with barriers identified during needs assessment to include: Age
differences, Time of operation, differences in leisure time, nature of business and
marital status. The multiple sub-groups were categorised into primary target - PT
(LDD inter-state, LDD intra-state, conductors, boat drivers and union workers) and
secondary target - ST (passengers, hawkers, touts and shop owners). One on one
health education and sales of condoms were anchored on 20 outreach workers
identified and trained from the stable National Union of Road Transport Workers
(NURTW) and they supervised activities of PHEs in the specific sub-groups. The
PHEs and outreach workers provide basic information on HIV/AIDS/STDs and
refer counselling problems to the counsellors at the health booths.