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

XIV International AIDS Conference

Abstracts ThPeF8125-ThPeF8128 617

ing, Culture, Entertainment, Health and others. Through its Little Citizen Project
with the support of the Ministry of Health and local Institutions, they perform actions which not only foster STD/Aids prevention and assistance with children and
adolescents under "bio-psycho-social" risk, we strive to offer alternatives of life to
young people who live in the streets.
Description This project has: Social Workers, Psychologists, Teachers (Rap,
Break, Capoeira [an Afro-Brazilian mix of dance and fight) and Street Dance), who
conduct systematic activities in the streets, reaching approximately 600 youths living in the streets. The Project has trained 20 youths who lived in the street and
became Agents who Multiply STD/Aids Information.
Lessons learned Of the 20 youths that were trained, 08 adolescents were hired
to enter the Project team as Agents who Multiply Social and Health Information.
They earn a grant with the value of a minimum salary. This action enabled youths
to have access to school, housing, leisure and simultaneously to STD/Aids prevention.
Recommendation Besides promoting the "welfare" of 08 youths who lived in the
street and were vulnerable to STD/Aids, drugs, violence, prostitution and other
diseases, today they contribute to the Project actions, discussion and prevention
of STD/Aids in their own language with other youths who live in the streets of the
city of Santos (SP).
Presenting author: Mauricio Rebougas, Rua Santa Cruz, 81 Sao Paulo SP
04121-000, Brazil, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeF8125 Monitoring of peer hiv/std education efforts among
young girls (underl8yrs) at risk for prostitution
L.R.F. Montebon. Path Philippines, 3F Accelerando Bldg., 395 Sen. Gil Puyat
Ave., Makati City, 1200, Philippines
Issues: NGOs thru peer education and counseling, have continually reached out
to young girls at risk for prostitution to teach facts about HIV/STDs and to offer
strategies for preventing infection. Yet tracking behavior change to monitor the
impact of these efforts have been lacking. NGOs are then unable to benefit from
monitoring data to strengthen their approaches and affect the decisions of funding
agencies and policymakers.
Description: The paper will describe 2 annual surveys conducted by 5 NGOs
in 4 cities to monitor desired behavior outcomes among their target girls at risk
for prostitution. The process of training and transferring monitoring technology to
the NGOs will be highlighted. Issues specific to monitoring peer education among
young girls will be identified.
Lessons learned: Training NGOs in program monitoring allows them to see concrete ways they can measure successes in their peer education efforts. However,
the process of capacity building takes intensive technical assistance over a long
period of time where they are allowed to directly experience and implement each
aspect of the monitoring process. The series of actual monitoring activities enable
them not only to learn about their target group but to institutionalize the processes
into their organizational work.
Recommendations: Continued exploration of ways to improve NGOs capacity
to monitor their peer education efforts will further strengthen their capacity to understand the factors related to positive behaviors and to developing a supportive
peer environment for behavior change among girls at risk for prostitution.
Presenting author: lyn rhona montebon, 3F Accelerando Bldg., 395 Sen. Gil
Puyat Ave., Makati City, 1200, Philippines, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone],
E-mail: rmontebon @ path.org
ThPeF8126I AIDS prevention in the cyber world of youth
Y.S. Leung. Hong Kong A/DS Foundation, Shaukeiwan, Hong Kong
Issue: The importance of AIDS education to young people has been affirmed by
many different studies all over the world. To enhance the effectiveness of the educational programmes, both form and content are vital issues to be considered.
The popularity of computer among young people in Hong Kong has made computer game and the internet useful channels to educate teenagers on HIV/AIDS.

Description: The Hong Kong AIDS Foundation has produced a computer game
entitled "Mission 2000" which is an interactive adventure one requiring players to
go through difficulties, temptations and tests arising from various AIDS related
issues during an exciting cyber journey. Apart from encouraging youths to know
more about AIDS, the computer game aims to help them develop preventive skills
and realize the importance of love and courage in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Over 10,000 copies of "Mission 2000" (in the form of CD-ROM) were distributed
to youngsters through schools and the mass media and they were invited to play
the game and participate in a territory wide on-line competition in the internet.
Lesson learned: Encouraging response was received from the game players.
Results of evaluation showed that 89% of the game players were satisfied/very
satisfied with the design of the game. 88% and 80% claimed that they were familiar with HIV/AIDS preventive skills and that they would accept and support people
living with HIV/AIDS.
Recommendations: To deliver effective AIDS education, it is important to keep
the pace with our targets. Messages presented in an attractive medium will surely
help achieve better results. "Mission 2000", a trilingual game in English, Cantonese and Mandarin and soon to be included in the official web site of Hong
Kong AIDS Foundation, will enable it to reach not only young people but the general public including parents and teachers within the Chinese community.
Presenting author: Yuet Sheung Leung, 5/F, Shaukeiwan Jockey Club Clinic,
8 Chai Wan Road, Shaukeiwan, Hong Kong, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: edu @ hkaf.com
ThPeF8127 Youth HIV/AIDS peer education project in the
muslim communities of Accra, Ghana
S. Wahab1, G. Ofori2. 1MURAG, P0. Box 8749, Accra North, Ghana; 2Family
Health International, Accra, Ghana
Issues: Nima and Maamobi are two large suburbs in Accra, the capital of Ghana.
They are densely populated areas in which most youth are unemployed and congregate at 'idle spots' or 'bases' to pass the time and discuss issues that interest
them. Low levels of education coupled with poverty mean that the youth try to
make a living on the streets and indulge in such risky behaviors as unprotected
sex, illegal abortions and drug abuse, making them vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS.
Description: Family Health International/IMPACT-Ghana in March 2001 initiated
a program with youth in the two areas of Accra through the Muslim Relief Association of Ghana (MURAG). The goal was to empower youth to take greater
responsibility for their reproductive health and increase their practice of protected
sex, emphasizing HIV/AIDS awareness. One hundred male and female youth
were selected from the 'idle spots' and trained in HIV/AIDS peer education and
counseling. They in turn visited others in these spots to share information about
HIV/AIDS.
Lessons learned: The program has shown that a peer education approach is
highly effective in conveying information about reproductive health and HIV/AIDS
prevention and helping youth to talk openly about HIV/AIDS and sexuality issues.
Recommendation: When properly trained about HIV/AIDS and counseling,
youth can make an impact among their peers.
Presenting author: Sumaila Wahab, P.O. Box 8749, Accra North, Ghana, Tel.:
[phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeF8128 Out of school youth: Although the majority, are we
reaching them?
R. Badiani1, G. Georgi2, J. Baissamo3, J. Matine4, C. Silva5, A. Ajane5.
1 Pathfinder International UNFPA MYS, Av.Julius Nyerere, 612-1st floor-right,
Maputo, Mozambique, Mozambique; 2UNFPA, Maputo, Mozambique; 3PRYS
UNFPA, Zambezia, Mozambique; 4PDYS UNFPA, Maputo, Mozambique; 5MYS,
maputo, Mozambique
Issues: access to education is the key protective factor, yet only 5% of eligible
girls in Mozambique are enrolled in secondary education. Cultural norms of masculinity encourage risk-taking, making men less open to safer sex practices. Most