Cambodia - HIV / AIDS Education
Putting a fence at the top of the cliff
The answer to halting the onward march of the AIDS epidemic is
not cure but prevention, and the best hope for prevention lies
in changing human behaviour. Servants have responded
with conviction and compassion by reaching out to the most
vulnerable groups in Cambodian society with straightforward
facts and education about HIV/AIDS.
Seeking to simply meet people where they are at, Servants has
developed courses for different high risk groups such as
factory workers, commercial sex workers, transvestites,
students, Christian youth groups and Buddhist youth. Our
educators often travel out into the community to meet and
train people in the places they feel most comfortable - such
as snooker halls, bars and brothels.
Peer educators
With 60% of the population illiterate and more likely to
believe folk stories and myths than official health
information, Servants has been on the forefront of developing
innovative ways to reach vulnerable groups and change their
behaviour.
One of the most effective methods of changing people's
behaviour is to target people who are leaders in their own
group and train them to teach their friends. Servants
has successfully used this approach with school children,
garment factory workers and at risk youth.
Each "Peer Educator" attends an eight week course where they
are trained in the basics of HIV/AIDS and also how to get the
message out to others. The group continues to meet on a
regular basis to debrief and brush up on their knowledge.
How can you help?
Contact Servants Cambodia (cambodia@servantsasia.org) to find out how you can help
