CHILDREN’S DAY 2009
Children’s day is celebrated annually in many countries in the world. The day provides an important reminder on how parents and other adults should value and treasure children. AHI was not left out on May 27, 2009 as series of programmes to mark the event were organized.
This year’s celebration aimed at helping young people understand that they are the future of the nation and the need to prepare adequately for responsible adulthood and for the parents, teachers and other adults to see child development and welfare as a concern and responsibility for all.
The event tagged “Leadership Roles” featured various lecture presentation aimed at enlightening children on what is expected of them in the society and what it takes to be a leader.
Other highlights included song rendition, drama presentation, riddles and jokes all performed by young people from various secondary schools in Lagos state
TRAINING ON YOUTH-FRIENDLY HEALTH SERVICES AND POST-ABORTION CARE
The capacity of health care providers to provide youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health information and services including post-abortion care for young people in Lagos State was built with the training of twelve (12) providers from June 15-19 2009 at the AHI Youth centre.
The programmes objectives were basically to improve the knowledge, skills and attitude of the healthcare providers in the key concepts and methodology required in providing youth friendly health services and effective post-abortion care as well as to increase access of healthcare providers to resource materials required to effectively establish and provide youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health information and services.
Various methodologies including group work, role play, brain-storming and discussion segments were incorporated in the training.
The training was facilitated by AHI with support from Ipas Nigeria (International Project Assistance Services).
TRAINING ON HUMAN SEXUALITY AND ADOLESCENT FRIENDLY HEALTH SERVICES FOR STUDENT NURSES
Forty-two (42) student nurses divided into two batches were trained Adolescent Friendly Health Services from May 4 – 14 2009.The capacity building workshop which took place at the AHI Youth Centre aimed at promoting learning in adolescent health services in order to improve the quality of care to adolescent clients. It was geared towards giving the health providers a better understanding of what constitutes Adolescent Friendly Health Services in order to improve the quality of services provided.
The 2 weeks programme was conducted in collaboration with the school of nursing, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). It covered areas such as; Introduction to human sexuality; Sexuality across life span and sources of sexual leaning; Overview of adolescent sexual and reproductive health Sexual attitudes and values clarification; Adolescent sexual health and sexual rights; STIs/HIV/AIDS; Teenage pregnancy/pregnancy options counselling; Sexual abuse; Sexual orientation and implication for service delivery; Client flow procedure/Follow-Up and referrals including home visits Assessing AYFHS: Data collection methods; contraception; Breast and Testicular self-examination and other related topics.
Interactive and participatory techniques were used during sessions to facilitate effective learning and role play, group assignment, demonstration; experience sharing, case scenario and case study were incorporated into the training. Participants had the opportunity to share their thoughts on issues discussed.
OUTREACH HEALTH PROGRAMMES IN SCHOOLS
To equip young people with the knowledge and skills they require to successfully make the transition from adolescent to adulthood, AHI organized some outreach programmes to Morocco Junior High School and Igbobi Junior College, Yaba on June 8 2009.
The Health Talk which centred on “Risky Adolescent Health Behaviour” had JSS3 students and the PTA Health Counsellors in attendance.
Areas such as the need for young people to be responsible towards themselves and their friends and to always inform each other on the consequences of drug abuse; ways of preventing drug abuse were highlighted. Issues of teenage pregnancy, STI/HIV/AIDS and how they affect the growth and development of young people were brought to fore by the resident doctor, Dr. S. T. Abdulsallam. The students used the opportunity afforded by the programme to ask questions on some of the health challenges they have been facing. These were duly answered by the facilitator.
At the end of the programme, various Information, Education, Communication (IEC) materials were distributed to the participants.
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE LAUNCHED
On June 18, 2009 most first time visitors to the University of Lagos would have been taken aback by the long queues of vehicles trying to gain entrance to the main gate of the institution. This is because people of all works of life turned up en masse to witness the launch of four books written by Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, a Professor in the Department of English University of Lagos.
By 11:00 am the Afe Babalola Auditorium was filled to capacity. Most of those present were fellow lecturers, students, representatives from the business world, and representatives of Anambra state Government, Federal and State ministries of education as well as the media, traditional rulers and representatives of CSOs/NGOs.
The event featured poem recitation, cultural displays which were followed by the citation of the author and the reviews of the four books.
The books namely,“Trafficked”,”Heart songs”, “My Cousin Sammy”, “Fire from the Holy Mountain” were all reviewed by Prof.Ben Nweke, Dr Beatrice Okechukwu, Ms.Ofure Aito Respectively. They were of the opinion that the books not only educate but entertain the readers through the author’s satirical and lyrical style. Furthermore, her artistic ingenuity is made manifest in the books and they therefore, recommended these compelling books to young people. The author was described as not only a remarkable and prolific writer but a woman of substance. All the special guests extolled the outstanding qualities and accomplishments of Prof. Akachi Ezeigbo in launching in launching four books at once.
Earlier, the author had called oh the government to encourage writers by discouraging piracy and giving grants to writers. She also called on public/private partnership so that more libraries can be set up to improve reading culture among young people. She lamented the inability of writers to access their royalties on time and vows to continue writing as long as God continues to keep her.
Various donations were made by the chief launcher, Special Guests, representatives of State Governments; representatives of various Ministries and parastatals as well as individuals.
Some of the publications are available for use at the AHI Resource Library.
AIDS CANDLE LIGHT MEMORIAL
Action Health Incorporated (AHI) on May 18, 2009 joined the rest of the world to commemorate the AIDS Candle Light Memorial at the AHI Youth Centre.
The theme for this year’s event was “Together we are the solution”,
It was an opportunity to raise awareness and decrease the stigma related to HIV/AIDS. It also aimed at remembering those who have died of the disease as well as show affection and solidarity with those infected and affected by the scourge.
The candlelight was also much more than just a memorial. It provided opportunities for leadership development and improvement of mobilization. The event featured a lecture tagged, “HIV STATUS… KNOWING AND CARING” and facilitated by AHI Programme staff. This dealt basically with the importance of knowing your status; how to support and care for an infected person as well as prevent the spread of the disease.
Songs and drama presentations, riddles and jokes depicting the need for healthy living were incorporated in the event which attracted students from various secondary schools around Shomolu/Kosofe/Mainland Local District of Education in Lagos State.
Participants were opportune to ask various questions pertaining HIV/AIDS which were duly answered by the facilitator.
The AIDS Candlelight Memorial which started in1983 takes place every year and is commemorated in 115 countries hosting local memorials that honour the lost the lost and raise social consciousness about the disease. With more than 33 million people living with HIV today, the candlelight continues to serve as an important intervention for global solidarity, breaking down barriers, and giving hope to new generations.
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