Vocational training proves to be a strategic approach for HIV-AIDS prevention in youth

Vocational training proves to be a strategic approach for HIV-AIDS prevention in youth

On November 4, 2014 in a closing ceremony of vocational training, Mr. Arsene KABALISA the executive secretary of Ngoma sector in Huye district, urged participants who got a chance to attend this training to continuously protect their lives against what he called negative behaviors that are likely to harm and discredit their reputations. 30 young men and women who acquired life skills certificates in Huye district were urged to protect their lives: These participants during this vocational training developed their skills in different vocational areas namely electricity and construction.

This training was organized by SFH Rwanda with an explicit goal of bringing together young men and women in one place and equipping them with vocational skills (commonly known as life skills) and simultaneously providing them with health messages on HIV prevention.

In other words, during the entire training program, participants were not only taught and given knowledge and skills to help themselves economically and their respective families, but also participants were given information on health messages to help them better understand HIV-AIDS destructiveness in regard to society in general and their own lives in particular.

This training took place in Huye district at Rwabuye vocational training center for a period of six months.

Mr. Fidele BYIRINGIRO the SFH Team Leader in Southern region said that this was not their first time to organize such training; he said that they normally organize these trainings as a strategic method to approach youth for delivering health related messages. He emphasized that this proves to be a best way of protecting youth against HIV-AIDS through vocational trainings.

“… moreover, it is not so easy to meet a young women or a girl coming from her work with her remuneration and then you persuade her for sexual attraction or simply sexual intercourse…” he added.

Local authorities welcomed and appreciated the SFH initiative, and they suggested that similar activities that aiming at improving and equipping youth with vocational skills especially young boys and girls who didn’t attain/ dropped their schools, have to be part of the district performance contract henceforward.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Arsene KABALISA the executive secretary, urged participants to go and start harnessing the skills and knowledge gained in the training. He requested them to every time think about learning and gaining more vocational skills basically those related to what they have been trained for.

“It does not make sense if you, as a mason, build a house and then you call a plumber, electrician, carpenter and/ or painter for some other construction related activities that you can accomplish yourself…” he advised.