HIV and AIDS becomes ‘real’ for Georgian youth
Schools, World Vision-supported Youth Centres and World Vision ‘Health Care Cabinets’ hosted the events in three different Public Health/HIV and AIDS (PHHA) targeted regions of Georgia. More than 70 children, local teachers, members of Youth Centres, local government representatives and a consultant doctor took part in the activities.
I had only heard of the name before [HIV and AIDS], but now I am aware of its meaning too Although Georgia is a low prevalence country for HIV and AIDS, the last few years have seen an increased risk of infection due to increased injecting drug use and intensive migration of certain population segments to and from high-prevalence countries, such as the Russian Federation.
World Vision PHHA programme organises several campaigns to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, reduce the risk of transmission of HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and improve the quality of health of mothers and children and their families in the wider community.
"People can easily and effectively prevent the disease if they have enough information about it," says Tinatin Zardiashvili, World Vision Georgia\'s Public Health/HIV and AIDS programme manager. "Our programme focuses on public awareness raising in order to combat associated stigma and discrimination and result in long-lasting behaviour changes in various target groups."
Information and theatrical performance activities took part in Batumi; a PHHA targeted city in western Georgia. Through close cooperation with local government, the PHHA regional coordinator and peer educators worked with the local Public Health Department to mark AIDS day in the region with a theatrical competition among 10 schools. Among the competitors were children from the World Vision Georgia LIFE project, which focuses on children working and living in the streets.
Fourteen children from the arts and crafts groups in the LIFE project participated in the performance dedicated to people living with HIV and AIDS. In partnership with the LIFE project, the local theatre director Zaza Dumbadze and Avto Tarieladze helped children to produce a play.
"Support and empathy for people infected by this disease were the message of our performance", says Zaza Dumbadze, "During the rehearsals I could observe how strongly children realised the importance of the problem."
Gogita Shevashidze, 16, and Ucha Nutsubidze, 13, were among the performers. The children admit they had never considered HIV and AIDS issues so seriously before the performance.
"World Vision has organised several informational sessions for us to make us more familiar with this disease, says Gogita, "They have taught us about the concept of the epidemic, the ways of its transmission and prevention. I had only heard of the name before, but now I am aware of its meaning too."
"I had a chance to express my respect and solidarity with the people living with HIV and AIDS," says Ucha. “It was the major reason of my participation in the performance. We wished to reach to their souls and tell them: we can live together."
World Vision’s PHHA programme is also focusing on reducing mobility exacerbated risk and vulnerability to new HIV infections along with mitigating the impact of the epidemic in several communities of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Kakheti, Batumi and Sarpi (area bordering Turkey).
It was the major reason of my participation in the performance. We wished to reach to their souls and tell them: we can live together Through face to face consultation and opening dialogue in rural communities on taboo health-related issues, the project has equipped migrants with appropriate knowledge, skills and competencies to decrease their vulnerability to HIV and STIs, as well as cope with the impact of HIV and AIDS.
"Mobile populations demand particular attention", says Irina Grdzelidze, PHHA programme officer. "Migration without partners increases recourse to casual sex, heightens risk of STIs and HIV and AIDS, and threatens the sexual health of not only the people who are mobile, but also their partners and spouses, their children, and even their communities.”
World Vision has also built a trusting, collaborative relationship with people living with HIV and AIDS and has set the foundations to increase the community’s capacity to take care of each other.
The PHHA programme has trained more than 90 youth peer educators and 69 medical personnel in target regions; established Health Care Cabinets in eight key cities countrywide; held 2,000 face-to-face consultations and 1,500 hotline consultations; opened dialogue in rural communities on taboo health-related issues; and supported more than 150 people living with HIV and their family members. In total, the programme helps more than 40,000 people in southern, eastern, and western Georgia.
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I had only heard of the name before [HIV and AIDS], but now I am aware of its meaning too Although Georgia is a low prevalence country for HIV and AIDS, the last few years have seen an increased risk of infection due to increased injecting drug use and intensive migration of certain population segments to and from high-prevalence countries, such as the Russian Federation.
World Vision PHHA programme organises several campaigns to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, reduce the risk of transmission of HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and improve the quality of health of mothers and children and their families in the wider community.
"People can easily and effectively prevent the disease if they have enough information about it," says Tinatin Zardiashvili, World Vision Georgia\'s Public Health/HIV and AIDS programme manager. "Our programme focuses on public awareness raising in order to combat associated stigma and discrimination and result in long-lasting behaviour changes in various target groups."
Information and theatrical performance activities took part in Batumi; a PHHA targeted city in western Georgia. Through close cooperation with local government, the PHHA regional coordinator and peer educators worked with the local Public Health Department to mark AIDS day in the region with a theatrical competition among 10 schools. Among the competitors were children from the World Vision Georgia LIFE project, which focuses on children working and living in the streets.
Fourteen children from the arts and crafts groups in the LIFE project participated in the performance dedicated to people living with HIV and AIDS. In partnership with the LIFE project, the local theatre director Zaza Dumbadze and Avto Tarieladze helped children to produce a play.
"Support and empathy for people infected by this disease were the message of our performance", says Zaza Dumbadze, "During the rehearsals I could observe how strongly children realised the importance of the problem."
Gogita Shevashidze, 16, and Ucha Nutsubidze, 13, were among the performers. The children admit they had never considered HIV and AIDS issues so seriously before the performance.
"World Vision has organised several informational sessions for us to make us more familiar with this disease, says Gogita, "They have taught us about the concept of the epidemic, the ways of its transmission and prevention. I had only heard of the name before, but now I am aware of its meaning too."
"I had a chance to express my respect and solidarity with the people living with HIV and AIDS," says Ucha. “It was the major reason of my participation in the performance. We wished to reach to their souls and tell them: we can live together."
World Vision’s PHHA programme is also focusing on reducing mobility exacerbated risk and vulnerability to new HIV infections along with mitigating the impact of the epidemic in several communities of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Kakheti, Batumi and Sarpi (area bordering Turkey).
It was the major reason of my participation in the performance. We wished to reach to their souls and tell them: we can live together Through face to face consultation and opening dialogue in rural communities on taboo health-related issues, the project has equipped migrants with appropriate knowledge, skills and competencies to decrease their vulnerability to HIV and STIs, as well as cope with the impact of HIV and AIDS.
"Mobile populations demand particular attention", says Irina Grdzelidze, PHHA programme officer. "Migration without partners increases recourse to casual sex, heightens risk of STIs and HIV and AIDS, and threatens the sexual health of not only the people who are mobile, but also their partners and spouses, their children, and even their communities.”
World Vision has also built a trusting, collaborative relationship with people living with HIV and AIDS and has set the foundations to increase the community’s capacity to take care of each other.
The PHHA programme has trained more than 90 youth peer educators and 69 medical personnel in target regions; established Health Care Cabinets in eight key cities countrywide; held 2,000 face-to-face consultations and 1,500 hotline consultations; opened dialogue in rural communities on taboo health-related issues; and supported more than 150 people living with HIV and their family members. In total, the programme helps more than 40,000 people in southern, eastern, and western Georgia.
-Ends-
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