COAF CONDUCTS OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IN COMMUNITIES OF THE REPUBLIC

00:00, 17 December 2008
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS:Following World AIDS Day celebrated worldwide on December 1, the community of Lernagog recently hosted an event in the premises of a newly renovated village school with the aim of raising public awareness and advocating HIV/AIDS free behavior in the community and throughout the region. Lernagog is one of six villages included in Comprehensive Rural Development Program, initiated and implemented by the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) since early 2006. Other communities constituting COAF’s Model Cluster include Argina, Dalarik, Karakert, Miasnikian and Shenik. An official from COAF told Armenpress that the event was organized by the members of the local “YES” youth club on healthy lifestyle established by Heifer International in close cooperation with COAF. COAF health education team additionally supported Lernagog club members in developing and elaborating the materials for the event. Through the mentioned club, which makes part of a chain of 30 clubs operating in four villages of the Model Cluster and one neighboring Hushakert, the local youth acquires knowledge and builds capacity on disease prevention, healthy nutrition, physical activities and healthy behavior. Other clubs focus on such areas of development as agribusiness, civic education, ecology, logics and journalism/public relations. The participants and organizers built the event on question and answer scheme, which was taking part among inhabitants of the Earth planet and other planets of our Universe. The main character named Little Healthy landed on the Earth planet from the Planet of the Healthy and knew very little about HIV/AIDS. The members of Lernagog Youth Club on Healthy Lifestyle invited Little Healthy to join their discussion and talk about the difference between HIV-infected individuals and people suffering from AIDS, the nature of HIV and ways of its transmission, the essence of ‘risk group’ and its potential members. Through role play, the event participants also considered HIV transmission through unprotected sex and also presented some statistics on HIV/AIDS affected children and adults throughout Armenia and abroad. Of special importance were the stage decorations, divided into two colors – white and black. The white part of the stage was totally inhabited by healthy people, and the guests and the local community could witness that this part was blossoming with flowers and flourishing with sunshine, thus promising a bright future and prosperity for its inhabitants. Meanwhile the opposite black camp symbolized diseases in general, and AIDS in particular, with its grey and gloomy colors, arousing sadness and bore among its residents. For the past two years, apart from classes on healthy lifestyle conducted in Lernagog and other five villages of the Model Cluster, COAF community health education program additionally included trainings and workshops on first aid, prevention of infectious diseases, management of chronic health problems, prenatal care, child care, cervical and breast cancer prevention, family planning, sexually transmitted diseases, and family violence.

COAF CONDUCTS OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IN COMMUNITIES OF THE REPUBLIC | ARMENPRESS Armenian News Agency

COAF CONDUCTS OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IN COMMUNITIES OF THE REPUBLIC

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