HIV and AIDS awareness project over the course of two Australian Football League seasons.

Who's involved?

Project leader: Horasio Cook, Nerida-Ann Hubert and David Dowiyogo

Lead organisation: Nauru National Youth Council (NNYC)

Other organisations: Minister of Education; Youth Affairs Department; Nauru HIV/STI Peer Educators; NAFL; Nauru Pandemic Committee; Primary Health Care Workers; NIANGO; Communities; Ministry of Education; Ministry of Health-Public Health; Ministry of Sports; Ante natal Clinic

Timeframe: February - December 2009

Objectives:

• To raise awareness and inform people on HIV and AIDS as well as on other STIs, teenage pregnancy, family planning and testing;
• To involve community groups of people who have limited knowledge on HIV/AIDS and STI and family planning in pursuing education activities;
• To teach young people about how HIV and STIs can and cannot be transmitted, and how they can protect themselves from infection and from unnecessary pregnancies;
• To draw attention to the realities of HIV and AIDS among the public and higher authorities;
• To develop trust between youths, community members and the Health Department;
• To promote the HIV/AIDS/STI information centre and the Reproductive Health Clinic for testing and protection;
• Ensure every one of all ages understand the need and importance of taking care of ones own health and body.

Activities:

Nauru is passionate and famous for its love for Australian Football. It is the National Sport. The only sport that involves whole communities, draw Government concern and clans out of homes to show their support for their District teams. And each year it manages to draw a huge crowd every game and even more during the semi and grand final matches. This is why the group decided to implement our HIV/AIDS project during the football season and conduct an evaluation program after the season.

During the football seasons, the association had a tent at each match that was placed in between the players’ tents creating an ideal spot to ensure that the players could get access to the material on display. After each game, players were held back by their coaches so that NNYC could introduce the association and its purpose and hand out more material. Not only did they cover all the football clubs (total of 6 with 22-25 players) but they also attended to the different crowds at each match.

Results:

Altogether, the NNYC was very satisfied with the results of its project. The Reproductive Health Clinic has provided positive feedback and has noted a rise in the number of young people getting tested.

Downloads: 
Project Proposal [PDF 47Kb]
Final Report

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