BACKGROUND

Since the SAS Foundation started the mentorship program in 2005, the training center at Bugolobi has trained seventy five (75) mentors. Twenty of these are currently working in primary schools, while another twenty are deployed in Nursery and Infant schools. The total number of volunteer mentors deployed by the foundation is 40. Our goal is to deploy more mentors as more funds are made available.

APPLICATION OF NURSERY AND INFANT (N & I) PROGRAM TO IMMUNISATION BY EDUCATION STRATEGY (IBES).

The objective of the first N&I training was to harmonize and to apply the Nursery and Infant methods of teaching to HIV information sensitization. During the training we were able to down size the available HIV information to the level the N&I children can understand. Teachers who participated in the training discovered that there is enough information which is relevant to any age group; the only problem is in the method of delivering that information. Teachers were given time during the workshops to demonstrate how it will work in the classroom setting.

THE FOCUS OF THE N&I PROGRAM

The task  of N&I mentors is to use relevant information young children can understand, and gradually add more information to the child as he/she grows up and has the capacity to take in more information relevant and helpful to his/her age.

Preventive information at this stage is limited to harmful sharp instruments, sharing razor blades, needles, or any piecing instrument, sharing toothbrush etc. Stories about events, situations, and people would be used to illustrate the harmful effects of being careless about them; this would be done without causing or creating bad memories in the children’s life.

ACHIEVEMENTS

We were able to attract twenty trainees for our very first training; which helped all the participants including the facilitators, to gain vital insights into the challenges of communicating HIV information to the young children.

CHALLENGES

• There is a need for a library for reference materials and other reading information needed to increase our information base and opportunity for research.

• We continue to realize that it is difficult to build an activity on volunteers only. More funds are needed to hire mentors on contract or permanent basis.

• Stigma about HIV is still high and people are still not able to feel free to associate themselves with HIV related activities. This problem has affected the recruitment of volunteers into the nursery and Infant program.

ADDITONAL INFORMATON:

You can support a mentor by giving a tax deductable donation of $200 which caters for the stipend; transport to and fro the field and training on a monthly basis.  You can write out a cheque to:

SAS Foundation

16510, South Colony Way, Baton Rouge, LA, 70810

For any inquires please call 225-590-7304 or send us a fax on 225-590-5389