EDUCATION FOR LIFE: A BEHAVIOUR CHANGE PROGRAMME TO SURVIVE HIV/AIDS
Education for life as a behaviour change programme widely used in the prevention of/and fight against HIV/AIDS, was developed by Dr. Sr. Kay Lawlor with the collaboration of Dr. Sr. Miriam DUGGAN and a group of youths in KAMPALA, UGANDA.
Prompted by the remark of a Secondary School headmistress, Kay realised what is well established today: “information on its own is not enough to bring about behaviour change” in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
For behaviour change to occur, there is need to provide more than information.
Education for Life was her attempt to provide that “MORE”. This came out of a deep belief in the Person and in its capacity to change. For “TO CHANGE IS TO GROW, TO GROW IS TO CHANGE OFTEN”.
This belief is well exemplified in a statement of belief produced at Dakar in 1991 by a group of people called together to explore the issue of behaviour change as a means to prevent and/or fight the spread of HIV/AIDS[1].
As a programme, Education For Life is built on a three stage process model borrowed from the helping skills model developed by Gerard Egan[2] as follow:
1st Stage: The participants are invited to explore and reflect on life, sexuality and other related societal issues as they are lived in their environment now.
Information on HIV/AIDS and other related issues are presented. This stage ends with a reflection and a projection of what may become of the society if the present way of life is maintained.
2nd Stage: The participants dream of alternative goals or project of life. Then they examine what is possible and what is not, they make a new choice and commit themselves to work for it to come true.
3rd Stage: In this stage, the participants work out practical means to implement or live out their choice and to start living it then and there.
At each stage, a number of activities are developed to facilitate and deepen the task of the stage. These activities are inputs, dramas, songs, role-plays, paintings, etc.
The process is a group work facilitated mainly by youths. In small groups, discussions are carried out, reports made to the large group and further discussions initiated to help the participants deepen the exploration and understanding of their own individual experiences. The programme can be designed to cover three to five or six days, residential or not.
From the start in early 1990 it became evident that those who have done the programme needed some follow up to assist and accompany them in their effort to live their new choice.
The Youth Alive Clubs (YA) were created. Youths who have attended the behaviour change seminars come together in these clubs to share their struggle, encourage each other, and receive the encouragement and support they need to continue on their journey, convinced that “ONE NEVER FAILS UNLESS ONE STOPS TRYING”.
From the Y.A. Clubs, the youths can also prepare themselves and organise activities to reach out to other youths.
In these clubs, the young people have the opportunity to show that behaviour change is possible, that chastity according to the state of life (abstinence for non-married people and fidelity for married people) is possible. They have the possibility to know and live true friendship, to learn life skills and to organise activities to reach out to HIV/AIDS infected and/or affected people.
Where this programme is part of a multi-sectorial approach strategies of prevention and fight against HIV/AIDS, positive outcome can be expected in terms of people really changing their behaviour (UGANDA).
When in the CHURCH, the Clergy is committed to promote this approach, we can also witness tremendous positive outcome.
Education for life has become the tool people need to live the A and B (Abstinence and Be faithful) of the ABC approach. Through it, the C becomes Character building.
Education for life programme has come to be identified with the behaviour change process. But it is more than that. It is more than a means to prevent and fight the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Education for life aims at addressing the head and the heart, faith and life in order to revigorate the person and open her to life and ‘life to the full’. Jn. 10:10
It is in this line that life-skills programmes for various age groups are elaborated:
- Adventure unlimited for the less than 11 years.
- Treasure life for the 12 – 15 years.
- Choose freedom for the 16 years and above.
We have been using these programmes in schools, private and public, in youth groups and to minister to youths who do not belong to any group. They are widely used in East and South African countries where many Youth Alive clubs can be found.
The youth unit of the African Family Life Federation (AFLF) is doing a lot to introduce Education for Life, Youth Alive and other similar programmes[3] in many more African countries. It is our hope and prayer to see these programmes introduce in strategy of prevention and fight against HIV/AIDS in all countries across Africa.
AFLF
Email: nkoroclau@yahoo.fr
We believe that individuals and whole communities have the inherent capacity to change attitudes and behaviours. The power to fulfil this capacity is often denied or is not exercised.
This power must now be recognised, called forth and supported from both within and without. This will enable people to initiate and sustain behaviours that promote a healthy state of mind, body, spirit and environment. A critical component in this process is a supportive response to those living with HIV in the community.
We recognise that behaviour change at individual and community level in the present HIV pandemics is a complex and on-going process. It is inextricably linked to such basic human values as care, love, faith, family and friendship, respect for people and cultures, solidarity and support.
The present pandemic affects everyone. Our experience as affected and infected individuals proves that behaviour change is possible. We believe that behaviour change is the most essential strategy in overcoming the HIV pandemic.
This statement confirms the need to promote the ‘Education of Life’ Programme.