Teacher Training

After weeks of preparation in the U.S. and here in South Sudan 10 teachers plus three health care professionals joined us this weekend for the beginning of the training of The HIV/Aids Awareness program in Bor, Jonglei, South Sudan. The leadership at Langbaar Modern Academy has graciously agreed to allow us to host the trainings there every week!
We shared with the teachers, mostly biology and other types of science teachers, the exercises, curriculum, etc. which we'll teach the students. PESS is encouraging the teachers, students and the community... even the government to take the content from this pilot program and incorporate in to their own classrooms, share with friends and other officials and leaders throughout the state of Jonglei and eventually the entire country.

With Daniel's great connections here we invited a representative from the county and the state to open our training this weekend.
In his remarks, John Malueth Aluong, an official with the County office of Education encouraged Project Education South Sudan to continue the work it has accomplished over the years. Mr. Aluong also encouraged the teachers to support PESS's efforts. He said education is the way South Sudan can move forward and become a great country.
 
Many of the teachers in our training course this weekend have another profession. Daau bit Atem is a former soldier. Jacob Matiop Deng is an up and coming journalist. Another teacher is an attorney... and yet anothor, Mary, is a student herself, studying to get a masters in government administration at John Garang University.
 
As we went through the manual (the same one we will use with the students over the next few weeks) the teachers really got animated and excited about the discussion around the cause, origin and spread of HIV and AIDS.
We are fortunate to have joining our team David Majur and Rebecca Deng Mou. Both are professionals in the healthcare world here in South Sudan and were able to back up Daniel, me and the the manual with more detailed science about HIV and AIDS.
For example, the lack of circumcisions here in South Sudan is a real issue, as David Majur explained. The virus and other sexually transmitted diseases can be trapped in the foreskin and spread from partner to partner.
 
Another discussion point the teachers brought up: What is a 100% way not to get HIV/AIDS?
Of course, they all knew the answer. Abstenance (and of course, not exchanging blood and other body fluids through other methods) is the best way to not get the virus.
However, we are not here to preach abstinence (Whew!). Rather we are hear to help empower the people with knowledge, i.e. the importance of hygeine, being honest with your partner, etc.
We also discussed how I.V. drug abuse can transmit the virus.
 
But these science teachers also have compassion in their hearts. We spent a lot of time talking about how to make someone with HIV/AIDS feel comfortable and welcomed in thier community.
This was a great segue in to the chapter on stigma and discrimination. This will be a great topic to discuss with the students: simple things like don't gossip about someone who may have HIV/AIDS, include those with the virus in to your activities at school, and let them share their stories .....and then listen to them.
 
This week Daniel and I are now prepping for the students training which will begin this week.
 
We will have about 30 to 35 students ranging in age from 15 to 20 years old from at least three schools. I've already met some of them, and of course Daniel knows most of the students. They are leaders in their schools. And with this training on HIV/AIDS Awareness and Feminine Hygiene and Leadership Training, the young people will have even more tools in their tool box to take South Sudan to the next level.

Tamara