Graduation Day!

The last weekend of the HIV/AIDS Awareness Youth Leadership and Feminine Hygiene Management Program was filled with high energy!

The students were even excited about taking a Biology Quiz! Understanding T-cells, knowing the exact names and pronunciation of the parts of the reproductive system, and understanding the difference between HIV and AIDS can be a bit of a challenge for anyone. But the students in PESS' HIV/AIDS Awareness program are getting it!

And they want to talk about it.... even brag to their classmates who are not in the program. Some of the students, for example, are taking biology in school right now. Paulino Ngong Alier and Gideon Mach puffed out their chests when they told us how they are ahead of the other students in their biology class discussing HIV/AIDS at Langbaar Modern Academy.

Gideon says he’s grateful, “It’s a wonderful project. I appreciate you coming from another continent. This country, since our independence, is changing. (There used to be a) fear of HIV/AIDS. Girls could not talk with boys about this and menstruation but now there is not fear.  Now with this class, no more fear. And I will tell others about HIV/AIDS (prevention)."

And the students from Sunlight Primary School won't be out done.

Anai Agau Anyang, a PESS sponsored girl, from Pagook, currently attending Sunlight Primary School, told us as she wore her red ribbon signifying HIV/AIDS Awareness, how grateful she was, "Thank you for this program."

Abuk Ayen Ayuen stood up (for the first time ever in this program) and literally gave an impromptu two minute speech about how important this program is and how grateful she is for it. "I'm proud to be here. I think this information will save our lives. I want to be healthy and strong. We need this program to make sure our future is good."

Akur Ayuen Mayen (nicknamed “Obama” because she wants to be like our president – you go girl!) stood up with great confidence giving correct answers to the biology quiz!

Joyce Athieny Awon and Rachel Riak Duot, two of the most quiet students in the program, proudly wore several HIV/AIDS awareness ribbons they’d made.

Neither Daniel nor I could hold back tears as almost each student in their own way (a couple of the boys clowned around and drew an HIV virus on the chalk board with a funny face waving goodbye) shared how they felt about the program and their future.

And they even lingered in and continued to talk after class.

Health care professionals David Majur, Rebecca Diing, and Aja Gai told the students how proud they are of them and encouraged them to think carefully about their health and take their future seriously. “We are counting on you,” said David Majur. “The future of South Sudan depends on you.”

Even the founder of Langbaar Modern Academy, Kuai Chier, joined us to give encouragement saying, “You cannot be leaders in the future if you not healthy today.”

At the end of the students proudly accepted their certificates of completion.

PESS wants the young students to walk away with at least some basic knowledge about how to stay healthy. And they are!

They are armed with knowledge and confidence and they’re ready to pass on their knowledge to their peers, family and community.

Now, on to the sewing program!

-Tamara