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Intern from YMCA of Greater Toronto March, 2007

Ms. Janice King of the YMCA of Greater Toronto paid a working visit to the Ghana YMCA from 8th – 30th March.

Intern from YMCA of Greater Toronto
Ms. Janice King of the YMCA of Greater Toronto paid a working visit to the Ghana YMCA from 8th – 30th March. Due to her background, she had the opportunity to interact with the Day Care Centers as well as work together with a number of Peer Educators during the implementation of YMCA of Greater Toronto Overseas HIV and AIDS project.

She interacted with female groups within the Ghana YMCA sharing with them her experience on gender issues as well as how she won her scholarship to have sponsorship to be an intern at the Ghana YMCA.

HIV and AIDS Programme
As part of its quest to help halt the spread of HIV and AIDS, Ghana YMCA has continued in its fight against the disease. The Association in partnership with the YMCA of Greater Toronto is implementing a two year project with funding from CIDA Canada through Canada YMCA. This programme has two streams covering HIV and AIDS education as well as skills training for youth with special emphasis on young girls.

By the end of year one of the project period the following were the achievements as a result of the implementation of the activities outlined in the project:
HIV and AIDS Education

• A set of 6 workshops covering the topics of: HIV and AIDS transmission, general sexual health, gender issues, interpersonal communication and leadership skills have been organized. Young volunteers from Ghana YMCA were trained as peer educators during these workshops to cover the topics as mentioned above.
• 27 presentations and interactive educational activities on HIV and AIDS and sexual health had been undertaken during these workshops and together with mass outreach educational programmes 1,082 youth had been reached with accurate and appropriate information on HIV and AIDS and sexual health education.
• Drama and dance with messages on sexual health was utilized in the outreach and training of youth on HIV and AIDS.

Vocational Training for youth and women

• Equipment has been provided for youth in vocational training such as carpentry and masonry.
• The women received sowing machines as the equipment for their training in their training schools. It is important to note that this equipment would be used to train a number of young people for many years in as much as they remain in good condition. The equipments are expected to last for a minimum of 5 years for which over 800 young people and women would have benefited from its use.
• Temporary placements to offer job experience are on going. The vocational youth and the women usually get job contracts and they use these as income generation as well as practical training for their various vocations.

This project is on – going and it is the objective of the Ghana YMCA to reach out to 2000 young people with appropriate information on HIV and AIDS in Ghana. This we hope would contribute to the already declining prevalence rate which is currently 2.2% from 2.7% in year 2005.

posted onThursday, September 27, 2007