Camp provides students health knowledge to share with others

TANZANIA (December 2010)- Two hundred and fifty-two more Arusha Region students are now equipped with health knowledge that can be passed on to peers, friends, and family.  

During Global Service Corps'- a local implementing partner on PFD's Jatropha Agriculture and Nutrition Initiative (JANI) project- annual HIV/AIDS, Health, and Life Skills Day Camp secondary school students were equipped with knowledge about HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, nutrition, human rights, and life skills.

Every June GSC brings together college-bound Tanzanians and international volunteers to conduct two-week long workshops that provide students not only knowledge but life skills. Life skills such as setting goals, decision making, recognizing role models, and dealing with peer pressure, are essential to promoting behavior change that can decrease risky behavior.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 “It takes young people a lot more than knowing they should abstain from sex to avoid HIV. It also takes being prepared to say no in challenging situations, like those full of passion or peer pressure,” explains camp coordinator Jenaya Rockman. “Having goals and knowing how to reach them keeps students from behaviors they know might knock them off track, like getting infected with HIV or having a baby.”

In Tanzania, six out of every 100 people are infected with HIV. Young people ages 15 through 24 make up 60% of new infections each year. 

“Learning life skills changed me,” Meshack Solomon told students at Kaloleni Secondary School. Solomon was a camp participant six years ago. Now he is a camp teacher and the first in his family to complete form six and plan for college.

At camp students are encouraged to share what they have learned with family and friends.  Student leaders from each school are also trained as peer educators so they can run a health club that serves as a forum to educate other students in their schools.  Over the past 10 years camps have produced health clubs in 26 schools.

The clubs enable students to address one of the biggest challenges to combating HIV infection; the challenge of dissolving myths. On camp’s first day, 27 out of 30 students in one class raised their hands “yes” when asked if everyone who gets HIV dies from the virus. All 30 raised hands when asked if it can be spread by sharing a tooth brush.

2010 marks the camp’s 10th anniversary and brings the total number of graduates to over 2,000 and number of schools participating to 29.

Partners for Development was one of sixteen sponsors that helped support Global Service Corps’ annual health camp.

This year’s participating secondary schools included Arusha Day, Enaboishu and Kaloleni in Arusha and Engutoto, Irkisongo, Moringe Sokoine and Orkeeswa in Monduli.