Many People Contributed to the Development of This Report. Their Suggestions, Advice, Insight

Acknowledgement

Many people contributed to the development of this report. Their suggestions, advice, insight, time, patience and understanding are all greatly appreciated. Special thanks are extended to the following individuals and organizations:

Ms Ugaso Jama Guled, CLHE’s training officer who briefed me with the workshop process and sequence of the different activities because the workshop started one day before my arrival and thus some of the activities reported here occurred in my absence.

Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Awale, CLHE’s Director, who invited me with the production and compilation of this report on the workshop and gave me useful advice and suggestions while the report was in the preparation stage.

I would like to thanks the following reviewers whose insightful comments contributed significantly to the content:

Mr. Mohamed Farah Ahmed, the Dean of business administration faculty of University of Hargiesa and
Ali Mohamed Essa, an English language lecturer at University of Hargeisa ( UOH).
I would also like to express my gratitude and appreciation to all the health workers of CLHE for their confidence and vision, patient assistance and guidance, particularly I am indebted to Siyad Adam Askar, the head of Health department who was the overall workshops coordinator and finally to all individuals and organizations who have supported and encouraged me to compile this report.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgement Page

Executive summary ------1
Methodology ------1
Introduction------2-6
Ground rules and regulation ------6
Background ------6
Uniqueness of the workshops------7
Aims and Objectives ------7
Expected outcome ------7
Workshops material ------7-14
Observation and findings ------14
Suggestions and recommendations ------15
Workshop participants profile (one and two). ------16-17
Workshops’ schedules (one and two)------18-19

1.Executive summary

This report is on the two workshops on HIV/AIDS held/convened by Candlelight for health, education and environment (CLHE) and funded by Somali Relief Association Sweden (SRAS).The report covers all those activities undertaken in two workshops held on 6th -7th and 10th-11th November 2005 at Hargiesa and Sheikh respectively which were an awareness creating and educational exercise aimed at educating youths on HIV/AIDS and its risks.

The report starts with an acknowledgement that expresses deep gratitude and appreciation to all those parties (individuals and organizations) who have taken part in the development of the report and its publication.

The report summarizes the various aspects of two workshops for CLHE under the sponsorship of SRAS. It contains the goals and objectives, workshops’ contents, observations/findings and recommendations, resource persons and the two workshops timetables.

The report also depicts/outlines the keynotes made by officials or important figures on the occasion from Somaliland government, Somaliland National AIDS Commission (SOLNAC) and Candlelight.

In addition, the report gives the observations and findings that resulted from the workshop and makes appropriate suggestions and recommendations to the optimal means and ways of achieving the desired objectives.

Finally the report closes with a list of workshop participants appended.

2.Methodology

The methodology employed in the workshop consisted of:

Direct lectures in which facilitators presented the facts about HIV/AIDS to the workshop participants
Visual presentation in which the participants watched practically a Video Cassette on HIV patients.
Discussions in which the workshop participants and facilitators exchanged ideas on a given topic, i.e the participants were given a chance to contribute their ideas on some of the problems related to the HIV/AIDS education.
Brainstorming: in which the brains of the workshop participants were tapped. The procedure for doing this is to divide the participants into groups, pose questions and require all groups to answer the question independently. The answers by the different groups to the provided questions are compared by the facilitators who pick up the most appreciate answers to the question.

3.Introduction (Opening remarks)

This report details the proceedings of two workshops on HIV/AIDS held /convened on 6th -7th and 10th-11th November 2005 at Hargiesa and Sheikh respectively. The Workshops were aimed at educating youths on HIV/IADS and its risks.

3.1.First Workshop at Hargiesa.

A two-day workshop on HIV/AIDS education targeting thirty youths (from secondary and primary school pupils, representatives of renowned youth and women’s organizations, SONYO, CONSONGO, NAGAAD and community based organizations, CBOs) was convened at the CLHE’s premises from 06/11/05-07/11/05.

The workshop, like many others conducted prior to it in different places by different organizations targeted educating specimens from the civil society in the hope that they will pass the knowledge acquired on the subject of HIV/AIDS prevention, to the society at large and to their respective groups in particular.

The workshop opened at 8:00 a.m with an introductory note by CLHE’s health Department/unit coordinator, Mr. Siyad Adam Askar, who after expressing his thanks to the audience welcomed the Director General (DG) of the MOHL Mr. Ahmed Abdi Jama to open the workshop. The DG in his opening speech to the attendees first praised CLHE for its elatedness and determination to alert the society of the silent killer, HIV/AIDS. The DG stressed the need for workshop participants to take advantage of this valuable seminar and pass the useful lessons learned to the society members.

The DG enunciated that MOHL had formulated a clear national policy on this killer disease. The policy stipulates, he added, a comprehensive plan for prevention and control of HIV/AIDS as there is no known medicine for its cure once the person contracts it.

The DG went on to give a brief history of the disease pointing out its first appearance in the USA in the early 1980s and how it developed into a global problem by the middle of 1980s. He proceeded to assure the workshop participants of the rapid spread of the disease and indicated how this tremendous speed of spread could be slowed through educating the people on how to keep off the disease before it takes control of the body. The DG concluded his speech with a message to the youth that they spare no efforts in alerting the people of this imminent danger.

CLHE‘s Director, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Awale then took his turn to address the youths. Mr. Ahmed first expressed his deep gratitude to SRAS, the organization that funded the workshop by way of CLHE. Then Mr. Ahmed pointed out that this is the first time SRAS collaborates with CLHE and hoped this not to be the end but rather the beginning of a cordial relationship and courtesy between the two organizations.

He mentioned the threat this disease poses to the world communities at large and how its cure is still a mystery. He assured to the youths that the only known weapon against this killer disease is to educate and aware people on its risks and preventive measures.

He also emphasized on the selection criteria for the participants, which was meant to make a difference. Unlike previous trainings, each trainee’s CV was studied so as to maximize the benefits of the training and ensure the message and knowledge received/acquired during the workshop is not treated like a kept secret by individuals but is spread into the community.

Finally SRAS’s (Somali Relief Association Sweden) Director, Mr. Eidarus Sh. Adam took the stage. Mr. Eidarus first praised the Somaliland government and the newly established Somaliland national AIDS commission (SOLNAC) and CLHE for their serious efforts to serve the public community.

He then explained the foundation of SRAS, an organization formed by Somaliland nationals in Sweden to take part in the development of the country. He proceeded to explain that SRAS’s objective/aim to hold this workshop is to play a vital role in the fight against HIV/AIDS through collaboration with national NGOs.

The workshop then started in effect. Ms. Ugaso Jama, CLHE’s health training officer took the lead as the facilitator. Ms. Ugaso first demanded that workshop participants agree on ground rules and regulations to be observed throughout the workshop to ensure the smooth progress of the workshop.

3.2. Second workshop at SOS secondary in SheikhTown

Two days after the close of the workshop at Hargiesa, the CLHE staff members who organized and conducted the workshop moved to SheikhTown where a second workshop of similar nature was to be convened from 10-11/11/05 at SOS secondary school, Sheikh. The workshop was exactly identical with the one in Hargiesa in terms of aims and objectives, material covered, methodology employed for facilitation, facilitators, findings and suggestions given for improvement of the ways and means of disseminating information against HIV/AIDS.

This workshop at sheikh hosted 30 youths mainly from SOS secondary school as detailed here below:

S/no. / Institution/organization / Number of participants / Total
1. / SOS secondary school / 24 / 24
2. / Public secondary school / 3 / 3
3. / Upper primary school / 2 / 2
4. / Shiekh MCH / 1 / 1
Total participants / 30 persons

The 24 students from SOS secondary school were selected on the basis of administrative regions of the Republic of Somaliland. Only Sool region was unrepresented in the workshop due to its non-presence in the school

S/no. / Region / Number of participants / Total
1. / Sanag / 4 / 4
2. / Togdher / 6 / 6
3. / Sahil / 4 / 4
4. / Awdal / 4 / 1
Hargiesa / 6 / 6
Total / 24

The workshop started on 10/11/05 at 8:00am with speeches delivered by key figures from SOLNAC, CLHE, SRAS and the district authorities.

The vice principal of SOS secondary school Mr. A. Rahman Adam Kariye, who hosted the workshop at the school campus first took the stage to address the workshop participants and organizers. The vice principal first praised CLHE and its staff for their commitment to serve the communities countrywide in providing them with rudimentary services: education, health and environmental protection and demanded the youths to take advantage of this seminar so that they can pass the lessons on HIV/AIDS education acquired to the communities.

CLHE’s health unit Director, Mr. Siyad Adam Askar then came to the stage. Mr. Siyad first outlined the aims and objectives of the workshop and highlighted how it could be useful to the youths who are required to pass the information to the community. Mr. Siyad then welcomed CLHE’s Director Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Awale to the speech.

Mr. Ahmed first thanked to the SOS secondary school management for the intimate collaboration they displayed. Mr. Ahmed talked at length about the activities CLHE is involved in the various parts of Somaliland. Mr. Ahmed briefly explained the threat HIV/AIDS poses to the globe today. He mentioned its tremendous speed of spread taking South Africa as an example.

Mr. Ahmed went on to say that in South Africa., the percentage of infected people were less than 1.5% in 1999. By now (2005) the percentage has jumped to 20%. I.e. one of every five persons is now infected. He pointed out that in Somaliland the percentage infected is now 1.4 % and warned that this figure could increase dramatically if we don’t device means to check and put it under control. Mr. Ahmed also talked about the status of the people living with AIDS and the need to understand their position as well as the responsibility of caring for them and counseling. He concluded his speech with a pledge by CLHE to fight against this disease in every way possible and demanded the youth to make the same pledge.

SRAS’s Director, Mr. Eidarus Sh. Adam Hassan took his turn to address the workshop. Mr. Eidarus explained how SRAS was founded in Sweden by Somalilanders in the Diaspora to take part in the development projects. He spoke about various interventions carried out by his organization in the past and said they intend to scale up these activities in the future.

He praised and congratulated the Somaliland government, national NGOs and the public community at large for their commitment in the fight against this disastrous killer disease.

Finally the vice Mayor of Shiekh municipal administration, Mr. Abdi Artan Abokor was welcomed to say his word. Mr. Abokor first expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Candlelight and SRAS, the organizations who jointly collaborated in the management and funding of the workshop. He praised Candlelight for its past activities in the region such as the construction of Alaaule primary school, soil and water conservation in Ga’an Libah, extension of Sheikh MCH as well as making Go’da wein MCH functional. Mr. Artan expressed the importance of such workshops on HIV/AIDS education for the community.

He went on to say that in the absence of any medication for treatment of HIV/AIDS, we must look to prevention as our main hope for overcoming this fatal disease and hence more workshops to educate the people on preventive measures are needed. Artan concluded his speech with a declaration that the workshop is open by now.

Since the two workshops were exactly identical to one another in terms of aims and objectives, material covered, methodology employed for facilitation, facilitators, findings and suggestions given for improvement of the ways and means of disseminating information against HIV/AIDS, they coincide in what follows:

4.Ground rules and regulations

Mobile phones be kept switched off or silenced during sessions
Raising one’s hand in the event of inquiry
Respect one’s suggestions/answers to a question in order to feel free when expressing one’s idea/contribution.
Punctuality: This is particularly essential in the tea breaks. All trainees are required to back on time as the session resumes.

5.Background

At the beginning of 1991 when Somalia’s central government had been overthrown, the country’s health sector like all other social services sectors collapsed entirely and serious efforts were made afterwards to revive and put it on the right track again.

These efforts were made by Somaliland government, and different organizations such as INGOs, LNGOs, UN agencies, and local communities. Among these stakeholders involved in the revival and restoration of the collapsed health services was CLHE, a national non-governmental organization engaged among other programmes, in promotion of health services for the community. To achieve this end, CLHE periodically holds workshops/seminars on health-related issues for community based organizations, youth and women’s organizations in the hope that they will in turn pass the knowledge to the communities and this workshop is merely meant to alert the community the risk of this silent killer disease, HIV/AIDS.

6.Uniqueness of these workshops.

The workshops differed from previous workshop of similar nature as there was a certain criteria set for the selection of workshop participants – most important of all the readiness of the participants to carry the message far and wide. The CVs of each participant was collected and studied in order to scrutinize if he/she was the right person for the training.

7.Aims and objectives

To enable youth groups understand what HIV/AIDS is
To elevate the awareness level of the people against HIV/AIDS and its risks.
To encourage young people to fight with the HIV/AIDS stigma which persistent in the communities.
To teach people feel sympathetic and be helpful to HIV/AIDS patients and train them avoid the infection
To encourage HIV/AIDS patients consult with doctors/health workers
To acquaint youth with the Islamic view on HIV/AIDS
To teach youth how HIV develops into AIDS

8.Expected outcomes

Holding this workshop for a cross-section of the society was designed to ignite an awareness campaign against HIV/AIDS and the expected outcomes planned for realization are cited below:

Sixty (60) youth (male and female) are trained on the risks of HIV/AIDS. The youths are expected to pass the awareness message to the community members
These trained youths are expected to train others in the rural and urban areas who would be at close reach to the community members and easily able to educate the people with the ways and means of prevention as there is no curative medication in avail for the disease.
The community to become well educated on HIV/AIDS so that they develop effective preventive measures and hence the attainment of HIV/AIDS –free society.
The achievement of a high awareness level of the community from the hazards of HIV/AIDS
The ability to cope with the huge task of HIV/AIDS education as the society grows in size and new fronts to wage the war are opened

The workshop material

The material covered in this workshop started with an explanation of the full name HIV (Human immunodeficiency Virus) and the definition of HIV as being a member of a group of viruses called retrovirus which causes AIDS.
History of HIV infection

In which it was discussed that the origin of HIV is still unknown and that the latest scientific researches linked the virus to the mutation from a virus found in monkeys. In this part the appearance of the virus in the early 19980s in the USA was mentioned.