AIDS Commission seminar targets Port Loyola
A survey conducted by the Central Statistical Unit shows that because of their risky sexual behaviour Belizeans between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four are those most vulnerable to HIV. Further study revealed that within the Belize District, the Port Loyola Division of Belize City had the highest incidence of HIV and AIDS. To address the problem, the National Aids Commission is hosting a one week seminar to create awareness and encourage area youths to change their behaviour.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Twenty-five youths between the ages of eleven and twenty-five are learning how they can change their behaviour and protect themselves against HIV and AIDS. The participants must first realise that there is a problem affecting their peers and what course of action can be taken to prevent it. Derrick Flowers, the seminar’s co-ordinator, says one of the problems affecting youths is the great number of myths that exist about the disease.
Derrick Flowers, Co-ordinator, HIV/AIDS Seminar
“We heard one misconception, a big one is that HIV cannot happen to me because I’m young. They feel that because they are fifteen, sixteen, seventeen it is not going to happen to them. That is the biggest one I’ve heard most of them say. Oh they don’t have to worry because that won’t happen to them.
I know of one particular client who is twenty-seven now and has a ten year old child who is infected and they just found out, which means that was when she was seventeen.”
Despite the danger, young persons are still risking their lives. The participants believe they peers are being influenced by what they see on television.
Michele Lopez, 13 years old
“The television and cable TV and they see how the students in America, North America, behave, go to the clubs party have fun do the drugs and do the liquor and stuff like that. I believe that Belizeans love to mimic America, some of us do, not all of us and when children my age see that American children our age are having fun they want to have this kind of fun.”
Jacqueline Woods
“You are 11 years old. Do you know any boy or girl your age that is sexually active?”
Derrick Pitts, 11 years old
“Yes. They are selling their bodies to men. They just want to do that because they think that it is a good thing and they are selling their bodies, for drugs and things like that.”
Michele Lopez
“Some of them lack the education. They are not attending schools because maybe their parents cannot afford it and they lack the education that’s why. Some of them do know the risks, but they still go out and do it anyway because they say well I did this once and this didn’t happen, so they go out and do it again.”
Flowers says although he expected more youths from the area to attend the seminar he is still encouraged by the positive interaction that has been shared among the participants.
Derrick Flowers
“We were on radio, we did some house to house stuff and we gave out flyers and we got a lot of positive feedback from some of the young people in the neighbourhood. I’m not sure what happened why so many of them did not show up. We met over four hundred young people and we gave out five hundred flyers, so we are a bit disappointed. But when I look at the small group and after yesterday’s performance, I know that they are getting the information and so with a small group a journey of a thousand miles begins with a small step. This is a step here.”
At the conclusion of the seminar a support youth group will be formed, and the participants are expected to share the information
with friends in their respective neighbourhoods. Reporting for News 5 Jacqueline Woods.
The seminar will culminate on Friday with a certification ceremony for the participants.
