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Peer education on HIV/AIDS and drug abuse prevention

This Kosovan initiative brings young people together, destroying any previous ethnic boundaries, to talk about the high costs of drug abuse. Through this project the institute both raises awareness of the usually taboo topic and promotes a multi-ethnic future for Kosovo.

Description

This initiative focuses on one of the objectives of the GPKT Youth Council – the establishment of a youth-for-youth training group, a cross-border and multi-ethnic group of youths from Serbian, Macedonian and Albanian ethnicity and nationality. It began with peer training sessions in primary schools in the micro-region. Six training sessions on HIV/AIDS prevention followed in May 2006, and a further seven in September and November/December 2006. Following a training of trainers sessions, the youth trainers held seven workshops on drug abuse prevention, which is a significant problem in the region relating to the conflict.

Aims / Objectives

The aim of this initiative is inter-ethnic relationship building in an area that suffered violent conflict, capacity building for youth action, and awareness-raising on issues of interest to the youth in the micro-region. The objective is to train around 200 youth in each training cycle, targeting specifically rural areas where the topics of HIV/AIDS and drugs are still considered taboo; and to give positive role models of youth cooperating across ethnic lines.

How it is Articulated

Through interactive workshops for primary school students (13-14 years old) particularly in rural areas. The youth trainers work in multi-ethnic teams, facilitate discussions, and distribute brochures and condoms.

Achievements / Learning Points

Some of the youth trainers progressed significantly during the series of workshops. The initiative was welcomed by teachers and school directors from all ethnic groups.

The work in multi-ethnic teams went particularly well. Even when some of the youth could not follow the workshop because of the language barrier, their presence in the classroom was essential as they gave a positive example of youth cooperation across ethnic lines.

The initiative achieved raised awareness about HIV/AIDS and drugs in areas where these topics are discussed neither at school nor at home; it set up role models among primary school students; it provided capacity building for youth trainers; it raised awareness among school teachers and directors about the importance of peer education.

The initiative showed how important it is to support peer initiatives and respond to local needs (the drug abuse prevention topic was selected in responses to needs expressed at the schools). The main lessons were to work in smaller groups (it is hard to achieve good results when working with over 20 participants) and to inform the students in advance about the topic and the methodology (the directors sometimes failed to inform the students prior to the workshop).

Geographical Area of Operation

Gjilan/Gnjilane (Kosovo) – Presevo (Serbia) – Kumanovo (Macedonia) – Trgiviste (Serbia).

Funding Resources

EastWest Institute in the framework of the GPKT project, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

Organisations Involved

Stories

The HIV/AIDS training caused a revolt in one of the schools – an Albanian language school in a rural area. The teachers and the director protested after the training and the demonstration with condoms, claiming that “such things do not happen in their village”.