Sierra Leone News: NETHIPS trains Ataya Base Youths on HIV/AIDS Stigma & Discrimination

The Network of HIV Positives in Sierra Leone (NETHIPS) has on Tuesday held a one-day training workshop with 30 youths representing different Ataya Bases in Freetown at the organization’s office at 114 Pademba Road.
The training was to raise awareness on how to discourage stigma and discrimination against People Living with HIV/AIDS at community and national levels on the topic “Discouraging the Spread of Stigma and Discrimination against People Living with HIV/AIDS”.
According to the Project Officer of NETHIPS, Brima Sorie Kanu, the organization has received several complaints from People Living with HIV/AIDS that they are being discriminated against and stigmatized in their various communities. He said it is in reaction to these complaints that NETHIPS decided to undertake awareness-raising on the dangers of such attitudes starting with Ataya Bases where young people mostly converge.
He revealed that the training is designed to improve the knowledge of youths across the country on HIV/AIDS and the related stigma and discrimination and that it is aimed at changing young people’s perceptions about People Living with HIV/AIDS within their communities.
Brima Sorie Kanu also indicated that the training is also meant to roll-out the newly enacted National HIV/AIDS Commission Act of 2011 which promotes the rights of People Living and Affected with HIV/AIDS and also to increase the visibility of the Network.
He assured that the training “will be cascaded” to other Ataya Bases in Freetown and other parts of the country as long as funds are available, he said and appealed to the participants to take the training serious.
The Executive Director of NETHIPS, Idrissa Songo explained that his organization has over the years been working with a number of groups that were missing from the National Response to HIV/AIDS. He referred to those groups as “having very important roles to play in combating HIV/AIDS in the country”. He said they decided to target Ataya Bases “because they have very large constituencies and they are social networks with people from all works of life”. He said they want to explore the outreach potential of these Ataya Bases to the many vulnerable groups spread out in the country.
He disclosed that NETHIPS has in the process of raising awareness against stigma and discrimination, engaged traditional rulers such as Section Chiefs in order to address the issues at the local community level.
He told the participants that his organization is ready to sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the different Ataya Base Organizations in the country to ensure the widest roll-out of the anti stigma and discrimination messages.
He appealed to them to take this training serious and encouraged the participants to ensure they pass on the knowledge they gained at the workshop.
By Alhaji M. Kamara
Friday October 04, 2013