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Community of Lernagog Raises Public Awareness on HIV/AIDS

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  • Community of Lernagog Raises Public Awareness on HIV/AIDS

    PRESS RELEASE

    Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) - Yerevan Office
    53-55 Pavstos Buzand Street, 0010
    Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
    Contact: Inessa Grigoryan
    Tel: (+374 10) 522076; 562068
    Fax: (+374 10) 522076
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web: www.coafkids.org


    Children of Armenia Fund - New York Office
    162 Fifth Avenue, Suite 900,
    New York, NY 10010, USA
    Contact: Samantha Wagar
    Tel: 212 - 994 - 8234
    Fax: 212 - 994 - 8299
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Web: www.coafkids.org


    Community of Lernagog Raises Public Awareness on HIV/AIDS


    December 17, 2008 Lernagog, Armavir District ¾ 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.

    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.

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