Marseille 2007
Marseille 2007
Abstract book
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Abstract #398  -  WORKING & EMPOWERING CHILDREN IMPACTED WITH HIV/AIDS: A Youth Alive Uganda Education for Life Experience & Best Practices
Session:
  6.77: Posters A (Poster) on Monday   in  Chaired by
Authors:
  Presenting Author:   Mr Mathias Tezikuba - Youth Alive Uganda, Uganda
 
  Additional Authors:   
Aim:
By abstract aims at; Sharing Youth Alive Uganda experiences in working & empowering children affected by HIV/AIDS especially in low resourced settings. Provide a basis to develop strategies aimed at effectively preventing and combating all common forms of violence against children in their communities. Adopt participatory alternative prevention & mitigation interventions that reduces HIV/AIDS impact on children.
 
Method / Issue:
The impact of HIV/AIDS on children manifests in many forms Youth Alive Education for Life peer to peer program based on Gerald Eagan Model offers an integrated program for the prevention and mitigation of the impact of HIV/AIDS on children, besides providing psychosocial support. It is an efficient and effective way to help children and parents examine their attitudes, behaviors and relationships as a result the impact of HIV/AIDS to their wellbeing. The program entails orienting and facilitating children and parents with skills of how to promote life skills peer to peer support, conflict resolution and right conduct and it has proved very useful for affected by HIV/AIDS. It involves play and artistic expressions of childrens concerns which allows children to become more open and grow in confidence. Additionally, working in groups brings a feeling of community support into the home and school among the impacted children. It provides children with skills to cope with the feeling of loss and develop a support network to their friends who could be affected by HIV/AIDS.
 
Results / Comments:
Youth Alive 13years field experience shows that children can cope with the impact of HIV/AIDS through a peer to support network besides giving them the confidence of the caregivers. Involvement of children in activities such as sports for health events, music dance and drama and counseling and group discussion focusing on critical reflection combined with community campaigns change attitudes and behaviors and create a supportive community environment - formation of Youth Alive Peer clubs in schools and communities. The caregivers, especially the grandparents, appreciate the chance to tell their stories, share their problems and have someone who listens to them. The children especially girls open up and express themselves through songs, play and drama. Psycho-social interventions for childcare and development are therefore more than a social service. They help children / people change and become masters of their own destiny, especially in the case of those impacted by HIV/AIDS. The methods introduce new ideas to both children and caregivers not only to respond to impact of HIV/AIDS on them but also how to develop new social skills.
 
Discussion:
Strenghten the capacity of children to support fellow children throughthe formation of peer - to - peer support networks ( clubs) where children learn to offer a social supportive mechanism to help themselves. Important to consider also is the issue of enhancing and strenghtening children / youth based responses such as sports for health, music dance and drama and discussions to promote holistic social development of children .
 
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