HIV/AIDS projects around the world

Out of the many projects WAGGGS’ members are running around the world we would like to introduce one from each of WAGGGS’ regions. 

Africa Region

Sexual and Reproductive Health Programme for Girls and Young Women in Malawi


The Malawi Girl Guides Association runs an HIV/AIDS Awareness Project that is funded by UNPFA in three districts of the country. They aim to extend the project to all other districts they operate in.
 
This project started in 2002 and to date the Association has trained 45 regional trainers, 30 Guiders and 60 Cadets (Peer Educators) in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues and rights, and psychosocial support life skills for orphans and other vulnerable children. Approximately 5,400 girls and young women have been reached with SRH information and services and 900 orphans and other vulnerable children have been reached with psychosocial life skills.
 
The Association has also documented best practices in SRH/HIV/AIDS which have been printed and distributed to members and other partners. Information and education materials have also been developed and SRH/HIV/AIDS messages have been incorporated into the Association’s already existing Girl Guide Laws to make them relevant to Girl Guiding programmes.

Asia Pacific Region

Girl Scouts of Taiwan take part in Adolescent HIV/AIDS education workshops

To address two of WAGGGS’ advocacy messages ‘fight AIDS’ and ‘it’s important to talk about sex’, Girl Scouts of Taiwan held two adolescent HIV and AIDS education workshops in Hsin-Chu County on 18 and 19 March, 2006.

 
The workshop was based on the WAGGGS AIDS Badge Curriculum, covering prevention, care support and human rights. It aimed to teach the adolescents who took part not only to have the right attitude and knowledge about sex but also how to protect themselves against HIV and AIDS. 

Western Hemisphere Region

Brazil’s ’Listen, Learn, Live’ project 

The ‘Federacão de Bandeirantes do Brasil’ has been running the project ‘Listen, Learn, Live’ since 2000 to promote awareness of HIV/AIDS issues among adolescents and young adults. It is being supported by UNESCO, UNAIDS, ICASO, INDCP and the government via the Ministry of Health. 

 
To date, the project has reached more than 50,000 young people aged between 12 and 21 through several events and an internet site which answers queries related to HIV and AIDS. Earlier this year, the Association’s ‘AIDS Prevention Distance Learning Internet Course’ won ‘Honorary Mention’ at the 6th Sao Paulo Virology Congress where it competed along with 128 entrants.

Arab Region

Tunisian Guides and Scouts join the fight against HIV/AIDS 

Les Scouts Tunisiens held a seminar for leaders on AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases last December in support of World AIDS Day and the WAGGGS call to action.

This event was part of a range of educational seminars for Rangers and Guides held throughout 2006 in collaboration with the international humanitarian aid organization Medecins Sans Frontières.

In their continued focus on adolescent health, the Association also participated in the ‘Childhood and Adolescents’ training seminar, organized by the Arab Women’s Centre for Training and Research in conjunction with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Hammamet in September and December 2006.

Europe Region

Hungarian Girl Guides launch fun activities to raise awareness 

Hungarian Girl Guides have joined the worldwide campaign against HIV and AIDS. Throughout the past years, rangers and leaders have organized interactive programmes with games and questionnaires on the issue in high schools.

 
On World AIDS Days in the past they have carried out red ribbon campaigns in local communities, where girls have given red ribbons and bookmarks to local people highlighting important facts about AIDS in Hungary and around the world. In the Association’s new educational programme there is a whole new chapter dedicated to the issue of HIV and AIDS to increase awareness of the disease.