Companies unite to tackle HIV-AIDS

By: MAGGI BARNARD at WALVIS BAY

THE Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) HIV-AIDS Desk this week started with the regional training of peer educators at Walvis Bay.

Seventeen participants from seven of the 10 companies that

subscribe to the project attended the three-day training course

presented by the AIDS Care Trust.

The participants were from NamPort, TransNamib, FP du Toit,

Unitrans, Wesbank, Transworld Cargo, and Kuehne & Nagel.

 

The course aims to equip peer educators with sufficient

knowledge and skills to pass on to colleagues at their respective

workplaces.

 

The course covered aspects of HIV-AIDS, as well as related

topics such as TB, treatment options, correct and consistent condom

use, legal aspects and HIV-AIDS in the workplace.

 

The AIDS Care Trust, seconded by the WBCG to do the training,

will present similar courses at Lüderitz, Tsumeb, Keetmanshoop

and other regional centres.

 

Project co-ordinator Julianne Breitenfeld said a series of

activities had been implemented since the establishment of the

HIV-AIDS Desk in February last year.

 

These include the formation of an HIV-AIDS committee, the

development of a policy group, the training of about 50 peer

educators in Windhoek and presentations for managers on the impact

of HIV-AIDS in the workplace.

 

In November, a convoy of 10 trucks of member companies drove

through Windhoek to mark World AIDS Day.

 

The HIV-AIDS Desk is financed through membership contributions,

own funds of the WBCG and support from the Swedish International

Development Agency (Sida).

 

The course at Walvis Bay was presented by Breitenfeld and Saraa

Mupopa, a trainer from the AIDS Care Trust.

 

The participants were from NamPort, TransNamib, FP du Toit,

Unitrans, Wesbank, Transworld Cargo, and Kuehne & Nagel.The

course aims to equip peer educators with sufficient knowledge and

skills to pass on to colleagues at their respective workplaces.The

course covered aspects of HIV-AIDS, as well as related topics such

as TB, treatment options, correct and consistent condom use, legal

aspects and HIV-AIDS in the workplace.The AIDS Care Trust, seconded

by the WBCG to do the training, will present similar courses at

Lüderitz, Tsumeb, Keetmanshoop and other regional

centres.Project co-ordinator Julianne Breitenfeld said a series of

activities had been implemented since the establishment of the

HIV-AIDS Desk in February last year.These include the formation of

an HIV-AIDS committee, the development of a policy group, the

training of about 50 peer educators in Windhoek and presentations

for managers on the impact of HIV-AIDS in the workplace.In

November, a convoy of 10 trucks of member companies drove through

Windhoek to mark World AIDS Day.The HIV-AIDS Desk is financed

through membership contributions, own funds of the WBCG and support

from the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).The course

at Walvis Bay was presented by Breitenfeld and Saraa Mupopa, a

trainer from the AIDS Care Trust.

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