Hiv-info in Armenian schools

Some 70 pupils and students in Vayat Dzor region learned about hiv/aids from the Red Cross Youth during December.

Together with some of the local volunteers we visited schools in Yeghegnadzor, Vayk and Jermuk. I had meetings/seminar with the volunteers and we also visited the Medical college in Vayat Dzor region within the framework of "Bridges of friendship" (Active Choice/Aktivt valg i Norge).

We had activities/games and discussions about hiv/aids and STIs to raise more knowledge among youth. In addition to give information, our aim with the school visits are to make it easier to discuss sexual health and condoms and to prevent stigma against those who are hiv-positive.

These goals we try to achieve through activities such as the "High risk/low risk/now risk" activity. The participants have to make up their mind how risky it is to have sex without a condom, kiss an hiv-positive, drink of the same glass as an hiv-positive, get a tatoo, hiv-mother breast feeding her child, blood donation at a hospital in Armenia and so on. The participants have to stand on the "risk note" they feel is correct for them and give arguments for the choice.

We also had open question rounds, hiv X-word and we gave out leaflets about hiv/aids.

But I guess I scared some of the girls in Jermuk when I told them about STIs. I tried to give the information in a neutral way, but I guess the info about risk of sterility (Chlamydia and Gonoreha) and open sores (herpes) that can never be cured made a great impression on young girls...

Hopefully, the info they got from us can help them to take care of their sexual health in the future.