Ukrayinka, 18 October: Over 35 local volunteers have underwent specialised training by a UNDP-led Municipal Governance and Sustainable Development Programme (MGSDP) to further build their capacity in HIV/AIDS awareness and prepare them for disseminating this knowledge among local youth using a peer-to-peer approach.
“As we explored, in Ukrayinka municipality, according with the data of the Central Rayon Hospital, as of February 2007, the number of registered injection drug-users is 33 persons, HIV-positive people – 20 persons, and alcohol-dependant – 70 persons (out of up to 18 thousand local population). Brief survey conducted by the local television company “Dni-Pro” shows the low level of awareness of the local citizens in Ukrayinka municipality about HIV/AIDS problem. The informational and educational activities on HIV/AIDS were not conducted in the educational institutions of the municipality; except for the medical college where this kind of lectures and thematic talks are the part of their curriculum. Therefore, we thought of the awareness campaign on HIV/AIDS as of critically important activity for our city”, said Olena Shapoval, Social Mobiliser of Ukrayinka City Council.
So, the Municipal Support Unit in cooperation with local NGOs and other relevant stakeholders have planned a number of events for 2007 to raise public awareness of critical issues relating to HIV/AIDS. The activities include broadcasting thematic video films on local television to identify the local volunteers, train them on HIV/AIDS issues and peer-to-peer approach of transferring the knowledge, organizing a public information campaign through the local media, social advertisements on bill-boards, and other well-targeted actions. Eventually, 35 representatives of the local youth decided to become volunteers.
On 18th October training for volunteers was conducted by MGSDP’s experts. In course of the training, young people listened to presentations on HIV/AIDS, ways of its transmission, debated various important issues related with the subject, watched the training video, discussed various attitudes existing in the society towards people living with HIV/AIDS and worked in groups to brainstorm the ways of raising public awareness on the subject among youths to promote the safe behaviour and healthy lifestyle. At the end of trainings, the volunteers expressed their commitment to assist the officials in their effort to prevent HIV/AIDS in the city.
“It was my personal voluntary decision to attend this training, since I strongly support the idea of healthy life style and always want to know more about it. The information given during the training is very important, and I took many copies of the informational materials with me to give out to my friends and schoolmates. The more young people are aware about it, the better. Also, I think it is a good idea to upload these materials into our local network “Stugna”, since it is the informational channel most widely used by the youth, and, thus, this knowledge will reach even more people”, said Danylo Plakhotnik, 9th grade pupil of the local school #1.
Trained volunteers received sets of publications, informational materials, CDs and video films on various issues related to HIV/AIDS. This initiative of UNDP/MGSDP was supported by other UN projects and agencies. Special gratitude to UNDP project “Governance on HIV/AIDS” for their invaluable support in developing the contents of training and the informational materials provided for dissemination; to UNICEF for the provided video films “Positive Children”; and to UNAIDS for the brochures and specialised publications on the subject.
In future the volunteers will conduct talks during the class hours in the local schools to further disseminate their knowledge. Not only will the knowledge be beneficial for the school pupils. Medical staffs from some local enterprises were also among the training participants. “I am grateful for the opportunity of participation in this training. This local youth which decided to be volunteers is rather among the low risk groups since they are strongly convinced in the importance of the healthy life style and safe behavior, as I see from their feedback to the training materials. So, this knowledge may be even more important for some young staffs of Trypilska Thermoelectric Power Station which are, in my opinion, in the group of higher risk. I will surely disseminate this knowledge and materials at our enterprise”, said Oksana Sil’kho, Head of the Medical Point of Trypilska Thermoelectric Power Station.
For further details, please contact Mrs. Olena Ursu, UNDP/MGSDP Monitoring and Communications Expert, by tel. 044 280 30 07, 280 37 19, or via e-mail: olena.ursu@undp.org.ua
So, the Municipal Support Unit in cooperation with local NGOs and other relevant stakeholders have planned a number of events for 2007 to raise public awareness of critical issues relating to HIV/AIDS. The activities include broadcasting thematic video films on local television to identify the local volunteers, train them on HIV/AIDS issues and peer-to-peer approach of transferring the knowledge, organizing a public information campaign through the local media, social advertisements on bill-boards, and other well-targeted actions. Eventually, 35 representatives of the local youth decided to become volunteers.
On 18th October training for volunteers was conducted by MGSDP’s experts. In course of the training, young people listened to presentations on HIV/AIDS, ways of its transmission, debated various important issues related with the subject, watched the training video, discussed various attitudes existing in the society towards people living with HIV/AIDS and worked in groups to brainstorm the ways of raising public awareness on the subject among youths to promote the safe behaviour and healthy lifestyle. At the end of trainings, the volunteers expressed their commitment to assist the officials in their effort to prevent HIV/AIDS in the city.
“It was my personal voluntary decision to attend this training, since I strongly support the idea of healthy life style and always want to know more about it. The information given during the training is very important, and I took many copies of the informational materials with me to give out to my friends and schoolmates. The more young people are aware about it, the better. Also, I think it is a good idea to upload these materials into our local network “Stugna”, since it is the informational channel most widely used by the youth, and, thus, this knowledge will reach even more people”, said Danylo Plakhotnik, 9th grade pupil of the local school #1.
Trained volunteers received sets of publications, informational materials, CDs and video films on various issues related to HIV/AIDS. This initiative of UNDP/MGSDP was supported by other UN projects and agencies. Special gratitude to UNDP project “Governance on HIV/AIDS” for their invaluable support in developing the contents of training and the informational materials provided for dissemination; to UNICEF for the provided video films “Positive Children”; and to UNAIDS for the brochures and specialised publications on the subject.
In future the volunteers will conduct talks during the class hours in the local schools to further disseminate their knowledge. Not only will the knowledge be beneficial for the school pupils. Medical staffs from some local enterprises were also among the training participants. “I am grateful for the opportunity of participation in this training. This local youth which decided to be volunteers is rather among the low risk groups since they are strongly convinced in the importance of the healthy life style and safe behavior, as I see from their feedback to the training materials. So, this knowledge may be even more important for some young staffs of Trypilska Thermoelectric Power Station which are, in my opinion, in the group of higher risk. I will surely disseminate this knowledge and materials at our enterprise”, said Oksana Sil’kho, Head of the Medical Point of Trypilska Thermoelectric Power Station.
For further details, please contact Mrs. Olena Ursu, UNDP/MGSDP Monitoring and Communications Expert, by tel. 044 280 30 07, 280 37 19, or via e-mail: olena.ursu@undp.org.ua
