Preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS in remote communities in Guyana

  Guyana

Georgetown

Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks

Description: Guyana means "Land of Many Waters" and refers to the complex network of pristine rivers that snake throughout the country. Discover untouched landscapes and legendary beauty in a place that isnt on the map for most tourists. Guyana has an interesting mix of cultures with Amerindian cultures living in the interior and African and East Indian culture on the coast. While on project, you might be able to ride in a Bedford truck along remote Amazonian roads to get to a project in an Amerindian community. The Guyanese know how to unwind and you will surely experience "liming" or relaxing Guyana-style.

Despite the romantic allure of its undisturbed hinterlands, Guyana remains the poorest country in the Commonwealth Caribbean. The three main issues facing the Guyanese community are the increasing spread of HIVA/AIDS, unemployment and lack of access to education, health and basic infrastructure. Many organisations including the UN have recently increased support to the national response to AIDS and new strategies have begun to promote employability programs. There is great need in all regions of Guyana for HIV/AIDS education and testing.

Volunteers work on locally initiated projects that focus on three areas crucial to Guyanese development. These areas include:

Delivering HIV/AIDS education:
Interactive workshops are conducted based on a peer education and train-the-trainer model, designed to educate youth, health workers, teachers and community leaders about HIV/AIDS risks and prevention strategies.

Health, education, family and social issues:
Volunteers assist in holding conferences and workshops that bring together youth from different sectors in Guyanese society to explore topics such as health, education and family. Conferences aim to bring about discussion on community challenges that cut across cultural and ethnic lines, fostering cooperation and self confidence, and building bridges of hope and understanding.

Empowerment of rural women:
Volunteers contribute to the empowerment of rural women by engaging women in health promotion and disease prevention workshops, education initiatives and capacity building conferences.

Highlights:
- Volunteer in a remote, isolated and exotic location, where most travelers never set foot
- Play an important role in raising HIV/AIDS awareness in Guyana, which has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in South America
- Sleep as the locals do  in a hammock!
- Work with diverse groups of community members including Afro-Guyanese, Indo-Guyanese and indigenous Amerindian
- Experience the natural beauty of the Land of Many Waters, with its more than one thousand river systems and the longest single water drop in the world  Kaiteur Falls

Cost in US$: please inquire for more information

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18 to 30 years

This Program is open to Australian and Canadian Participants.

Typically Participants Work in Groups

Youth Challenge Australia's Mission Statement: To engage and empower young people, through collaborative and sustainable work with communities, to create understanding and bring about positive change.

Year Founded: 1992