Nigeria youth AIDS programme in Unical, reality at last

CALABAR, Nigeria, July 1 -- For some years, it has consistently appeared in the list of school charges, often billed at N200. In the last year detail of the entire component that made up the school charge, it was the number 17 in the list still billed at N200. Many have ignored noticing it while other neglected asking what it stands for.

But few rational being has pressed on to know what it stands for and why students should continue paying for it without benefiting from it. One of such person is Paul Ekaji, the President of University of Calabar Association for HIV/AIDS prevention (UCAAP), a body that has been under Nigeria Youth Aids Programme (NYAP) that has been operating in the University since 1991.

Such was made manifest in this year Nigeria Youth Aids Programme (NYAP) seminar which trained and awarded 50 students certificate on Reproductive Health and Peer Health Education management skills.

According to the programme Manager, Mrs Georgette Antigha A.K.A Anty G, who is also a lecturer in theater art department in her opening speech, “NYAP Started in Unical with a handful students in 1991 on the valentine’s day, our duty is to have the youth, train them so that they can train others, we receive funds from Unical and outside Unical, we go beyond teaching about HIV/AIDS and teaches about other diseases that hinders our Health. The programme has not come all these years because the school has not release money but the incumbent VC has decided to release fund for the programme. It is expected that 200 students should be train annually but for this first set, we are training only 50 students. . .”

Other dignitaries who graced the occasion and gave some goodwill message include Ekaji Paul, President of UCAAP, Bernard Enyia, programme Officer (NYAP), Kelvin Ezechiedo, Head of Programme (NYAP), Osilade Adewole, Emeritus president (UCAAP),Sir Alfred Nboto, Chairman governing council (NYAP),Mr. Martin who represented Cross River State Action for Control of AIDS (SACA), Ogar Emmanuel, President Nigerian Union of Campus Journalist (NUCJ), Prof. Joe Asor, Dean of Students affair who was represented by Anita Eyo,Prof. Emmanuel Ezedinachi,Prof Okon Bassey and the host of others.

Shortly after the opening ceremony in Chinua Achebe theatre Hall Main Campus, there was photographs snapping before the main workshop was transferred to the NYAP Unical office in Main campus.

The programme/seminar proper

Day one

It is a day of introduction of both the participants and the detail programme. A ground rule was first meant to regulate the movement and activities. Faulting any of the rules attracts a fine. Each participant chose their workshop name which was stacked to their dresses, subsequently; each is to be referred/called by his/her workshop names. After which, the objective of the seminar was spelt out to include:

1. To equip 50 students of Unical with reproductive health and in school Peer Health Education (PHE) management skills by 3rd week of June, 2011.
2. To ewuip 50 students of Unical with life building skills and reproductive health information to boast PHE on campus.
3. To strengthen UCAAP with programme Planning and implementation by June 2011.

Meanwhile, three committees were subsequently formed to assist in the programme organization. The committees are information, welfare and evaluation committees respectively. However, before this committee formation, a test was administered to all the trainees.

The first lecture focused on values and value clarification. The lecturer was simply identified in his tag as kojazzy (Kelvin Ezechiedo). The lecture exposes the prones and corns of value and value clarification

The next lecture was administered by Dr Eyo of Unical medical center, which focused on goal setting, steps in setting a goal, advantages of goal setting and characteristics of goal which he used the acronyms of SMART to be S-specific, M-measurable, A-attainable, R- realistic, & T-time bound. He concluded that goal that is short of SMART is bound to fail.

Nevertheless, there were several interludes intermittently, tea break and lunch to all for each day before the day’s closure with maintenance of time of 8:30am to 4pm daily.

Day two

The first lecture in the second day was given by kojazzy on assertive communication skills; it further touched at Negotiation and refusal skills. Subsequently, he lectured on counseling, attributes of a good counselor, and the general guideline of counseling which he used the acronyms GATHER to represent.

G - Greetings.
A - Ask the client questions.
T - Tell all the information you know.
H - Help the client in taking decision.
E - Explain the implications of your client decisions.
R - Referral.

The next lecture was taken by Wole (Osilade Adewole) still on communication skill, its types, components, rules, Inter-personal Communication (IPC), steps in IPC, purposes and using CLEAR as a communication skill, to stand for C-clarify, L-listen, E- encourage, A-acknowledge, & R-reflect.

This was proceeded by the lecture on human reproductive system by Uncle Ben(Bernard Enyia) which focused mainly on male and female reproductive organ, cares and maintenance, similarities and differences etc.

Day three.

The third day of the seminar witnessed a total expository of womanhood as UNCLE BEN drove all the trainee through the nooks and crannies of menstruation/conception, fertilization, implantation, parturition ovulation, how to calculate women circles (both the old and new pattern), how to choose a male or female child.

In the same vein, one of the teachers who is simply identified as SEXTUS taught on hormones, Sexuality Education, circles of sexuality, how to arose feelings/affection in both male and females ( the hot spots in human body), group work, the affectional functions of the various part of the body, general maintenance of the body,

The next lecture was given by Dr. Eyo, the director of Unical medical Service. The lecture focused on the different forms of SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS/ DISEASES (STDs/Is), VENEREAL DISEASE (VD), ranging from GONORRHOEA, SYPHILIS, CHLAMYDIA TO HERPES AND OTHERS. He as well gave the various precautionary measures.

Day four.

Day four witnessed another pack of the teaching where Mr. Martin who represented Cross River State Action for Control of AIDS (SACA) lectured on HIV & AIDS, CARE FOR PLWHA/PABA/OVC, modes of transmitting the infection, non-modes of transmission, symptoms of the virus, main different between HIV and AIDS, care for PLWHA/PABA/OVC, major differences between PLWHA, PABA AND OVC.

After which, he proceeded on GENDER/SEX ROLES IN HIV/AIDS AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CHALLENGES PREVENTION etc

This was shortly followed by suzzy’s lecture on CONDOM, (BOTH MALE AND FEMALE) ITS USES, ADVANTAGES, HOW IT IS USED, AS WELL AS ITS DISSADVATAGES

Uncle Ben took the next lecture on PRE SELECTION OF SEX. Subsequently, Dr. Eyo took the next lecture on DRUG/SUBSTANCE ABUSE. The drugs that are abused (according to him) include Alcohol, Tobacco, Cannabis, Cocaine, Heroin and others. He further taught on the various terminologies used in drug abuse, implications effects and why people engage in drug abuse.

Day Five

The day five was more of practical in the sense that most of the thing that has been taught for the last was days was acted by the participants and the drama group, moreso, there was a live movie on the various form in which abortion is conducted by mostly young girls.
In addition, there was a detailed participatory teaching of how to draft a good work plan, classifications of work plan, its importance as well as it structure. This was done by Mr. Williams Onuchukwu.

To sum it all, there was presentation of awards as well as financial souvenirs given to the entire participant for their transport fair for the whole five days of the event.

The above information does not in any way depicts a detailed analysis of all the event and teaching for the five days, for instance, there were always interludes in-between lecture, there were several types of claps being taught which include Senegalis, Thunder, Rainfall, Atama, Mosquitoes, Locomotive claps respectively among others.

This is the greatest exposure and experience in our lives said most of the trainees who are automatically members of UCAAP after the event.