Children First’s World AIDS Day activities to go beyond December 1
COME DECEMBER 1, celebrated globally as World AIDS Day, non-governmental organisation Children First will take to the Mandela Park in Half-Way Tree, St Andrew, to educate young people from various schools on the disease.
Claudette Pious, co-founder and executive director of the organisation, told The Gleaner recently that because there is a lack of continuity in the spread of messages related to AIDS, Children First will aim to carry on highlighting information about the condition to young people beyond December 1.
“For the World AIDS Day event, we are looking at fun and games for those at the primary age and the secondary age,” Pious said.
“Leading up to that, our Bashy Bus will be doing a school tour, going in and performing at schools, encouraging them to come out on December 1. Just to give them information on the day, we will have small competitions with messages and slogans, things that young people love.”
She added: “I find that sometimes these days, things happen, and there is no continuity. One of the things we want to do, moving into January, is really to do some concentrated work in troubled schools.
“We have worked with a school (in St Andrew) and we found that ... the whole behaviour and the whole thing of self-worth and self-esteem was so good that the teachers keep asking us to come back. We go when we can, but based on the reality of resources, we can’t always go.”