Abstract Book Vol. 2 [International Conference on AIDS (14th: 2002: Barcelona, Spain)]

610 Abstracts ThPeF8091-ThPeF8095

XIV International AIDS Conference

ThPeF8091 Culture, media and the fight against AIDS: lessons
learned in rural Cameroon
T.L. Lester. Peace Corps Community Volunteer, Corps de la Paix, B.P 817,
Yaound6, Cameroon
Issues: AIDS is an uncomfortable thing to talk about for young people. It is not
until the youth have a legitimized platform from which to speak and learn that they
open themselves to the process of effective peer education. The issue is also to
combat information asymmetry in isolated, rural areas so that youth can be accurate when using their informal networks to spread news. DESCRIPTION: In the
East Province of Cameroon there has been a sequence of cultural and media
activities (2001-02) that have engaged 324 primary youth (cultural weekend-50,
AIDS art contest-50, Music & Peer Education Festival-150, JeunEst radio series60, Fabric Dying training-8, Girls and their Environment-6) in local AIDS sensitization. The primary youth stakeholders have then addressed countless others
over the radio, in the classroom and in their communities. LESSONS LEARNED:
During the programming and implementation of these activities, it was necessary
to overcome obstacles of distance and outdated infrastructure and to co-opt public radio participation while respecting and engaging traditional communication
channels. We were able to pinpoint times of the year when the youth were available and the message they created most widely received (i.e. school vacation).
The youth took ownership and pride in the messages they created for their peers
focusing on both design and content. They gained useful work experience through
radio production, fabric dying and cultural promotion that will influence their careers. They openly exposed the issues they perceive to be related to AIDS for both
their generation and geographic area (i.e. life in the village & responsible use of
time). RECOMMENDATIONS: Current programming consists of outreach to 30
villages with integrated AIDS information/musical entertainment and the production of a serial comedy for radio diffusion that deals with tolerance for people living
with AIDS to be broadcast strategically during the week leading up to a national
holiday.
Presenting author: Todd Lester, Corps de la Paix, B.PR 817, Yaounde,
Cameroon, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: tllester@yahoo.
com
ThPeF8092I Condom use practices and experiences among
adolescents in Kenya
C. Nzioka. University of Nairobi, Department of Sociology, University of Nairobi,
PO Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya
Introduction: Sexual debut is increasingly occurring early for most adolescents
in Kenya, exposing these young people to the dual risks of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections including HIV This has led to increased
levels of morbidity due to unsafe abortions and other gynecological complications
as well as mortality especially due to HIV/AIDS among these young people. Condoms offer the most effective protection against unwanted pregnancies and STIs,
yet the promotion of condom use among adolescents has been strongly resisted
by groups of moralists and religious bodies who see it as a tacit attempt to promote moral decadence among young people.
Objective: This paper therefore looks at condom use practices and experiences
in a randomly selected sample of 780 in-and out-of-school male and female adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years who were interviewed between September 2000 and April, 2001in Makueni District of Eastern Kenya.
Results: Findings show that the majority of male and female adolescents interviewed knew what a condom was and had correct knowledge of condom use.
Condom use was however still low due to inaccessibility, experiences of condom
rapture during intercourse, and the social stigma and embarrassments associated with the procurement and use of condoms. Condom use was also found to
decrease as relationships matured.
Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest the need to enhance awareness
of the value of condoms particularly in offering dual protection among adolescents
in Kenya. Access to condoms for adolescents should be enhanced accompanied
by health educational programs on ways of handling condoms. These programs
should also address the socio-ethical, religious and moral controversies revolving
around condom use.
Presenting author: Charles Nzioka, Department of Sociology, University of
Nairobi, PO Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeF8093 Evaluating the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS prevention
and awareness information dissemination to young
people via youth friendly and interactive websites
A.M.K. Mohd Khalid. Malaysian AIDS Council, 12, Jalan 13/48A, The Boulevard
Shop Office, Off Jalan Sent ul, 51000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Issue: There are interactive and youth-friendly websites that disseminate
HIV/AIDS information to young people. Evaluating the effectiveness of these sites
enables further development of this alternative approach to engage young people
in HIV/AIDS prevention & awareness.
Description: Many developing countries lack the infrastructure for Internet, however millions of youth, in developed & developing countries, are becoming IT literate & dependent on the Net for information & education. Kaiser Family Foundation
found that 2/3 of young people in the US use the Net to look for information on

health issues such as diabetes & AIDS. Youth-friendly sites such as the AIDS
Education & Research Trust site (www.avert.org) in 2000 received 30 million hits
& supplied 2 million pages to 1.5 million visitors from countries such as Saudi
Arabia. There are many HIV/AIDS sites but few are youth friendly & answer questions on subjects from kissing to HIV/AIDS. But there is no mechanism to evaluate
the effectiveness of these websites, as many tend to merely display information.
There are many sites but very few are effective in their approach & scope. Sites
with interactive online fora such as Teenwire (www.teenwire.com) are able to provide virtual safe spaces for youths where identities are protected & questions can
be freely asked. Effectiveness thus hinges on the ability to create this safe atmosphere that encourages frank sustainable discussions. Such engagements with
young people would increase the effectiveness of the information thus providing
better opportunities for behavior change.
Recommendation: An active effort must be made to disseminate prevention &
awareness information throughout the Net in areas such as chat rooms & online fora. Though there are sites dealing with HIV/AIDS & related issues like sex
education, the numbers of youth-friendly and interactive websites are few & the
potential to make young people aware of HIV/AIDS remains untapped.
Presenting author: Azrul Mohd Khalib, 12, Jalan 13/48A, The Boulevard Shop
Office, Off Jalan Sentul, 51000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tel.: [phone],
Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeF8094 Life skills Development Strategy for HIV/AIDS
Prevention Among Young People in Africa
B.D.P. Mershak1, D. Cunningham2, I. Cunningham2, R.E. Udanyi3, R. Hubert4,
T. Malande5, S. Ewou 6, G. Jean3. 1N.M.D.C Staff Clinic, Medical Lab unit,
N.M.D.C Staff Clinic, Medical Lab Unit, PM.B 2116 Zaria road, Jos, Nigeria;
2Family impact, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe; 3Fellowship of Christian students, Jos,
Nigeria; 4Aid for AIDS, Antana Nerivo, Madagascar; SAid for AIDS project,
Eldoret, Kenya; 6Aid for AIDS project, Kampala, Uganda
Issues: Life skills programme equips young people to prepare confidently for
teenage years and adult life. This intervention strategy by the Aid for AIDS Project
has been explored in reaching youth in Africa for the past eleven years has proved
to be an effective strategy but not yet fully tapped by many other intervention programmes in most parts of the world.
Description: Life skills programme approaches HIV/AIDS prevention from a perspective that encompasses life in all its ramifications, emphasising on the joy,
privilege and adventure of life and not only on the problems. This enables young
people to form their own values and attitudes, which are effective in producing
behaviour change. The programme operates in over 26 African countries and
lays emphasis on the Window of Hope (ages 5-19) for an AIDS free generation.
Through Training of Trainers (TOT) and inbuilt project management strategies
focusing on operational structure at country levels, monitoring and evaluation,
beneficiaries are reached at the grass roots. This paper seeks to share its field
challenges, experiences, approaches and successes.
Lessons learned: Experiences show that information about HIV/AIDS by itself
is not effective in producing behaviour change. Life skills programme presents to
the young people various alternatives and allows them make their own decisions.
When young people are adequately informed, they are also equipped to take responsibilities for their actions. When learning is effective, it produces change in
attitudes, values and beliefs.
Recommendations: Life skills should be an integral part of every HIV/AIDS intervention programme that targets the youth if they are to be knowledgeable and
committed in helping themselves and others.
Presenting author: B.D. Paul Mershak, N.M.D.C Staff Clinic, Medical Lab Unit,
P.M.B 2116 Zaria road, Jos, Nigeria, Tel.: [phone], E-mail: fcshqnig
@aol.com
ThPeF8095I Mambo Poa?! Sexual and reproductive health
education and services addressing youth in
Dodoma Region, Tanzania
M. Simonelli, F Manghundi, J. Pamilla, L. Spoldi. CMSR, Dodoma, Tanzania
Issues: Studies and research have shown that the spread of AIDS in Tanzania is
increasing and youth are the most vulnerable group. Cmsr, an Italian NGO working in Dodoma Region (Tanzania) in a AIDS Prevention and Control Programme,
since 2001 has given a particular attention to youth and a project on sexual and
reproductive health education and services addressing youth has been launched.
This paper present the objectives of the project, strategies and activities and exposes the first year achievements.
Description: Two are the main objectives of the intervention: 1) the improvement
of sexual and reproductive health education of youth through different channels;
2) the establishment of youth friendly health services (STIs clinic and HIV/AIDS
Counselling and Testing centre) within the premises of a Youth Centre.
Up to now, several IEC activities have been done: a quarterly youth magazine has

been launched, 100 radio programs realised and diffused, 60 video shows and
40 drama performed among in and out-of-school youth, peer educators trained.
Moreover a Youth Centre providing also STIs treatments and HIV/AIDS Counselling and Testing has been established. All these activities - except, of course,
the STIs clinic/VCT service - are ran by youth and peer educators.
Lesson learned: It seems that youth have certain knowledge on STIs/HIV/AIDS
but often their sexual behaviours do not reflect their knowledge. IEC strategies