Community and Mobalisation Coordinator of the National Aids Programme Secretariat Nazim Hussein (standing) making a point at one of yesterday’s workshop sessions.
By Franklin Wilson
The Lethem All Star football team, which lost a close battle to Fruta Conquerors in the Kashif & Shanghai match on Wednesday evening at the Plaisance ground, yesterday participated in a one day HIV/AIDS Workshop organized by the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport (MCY&S).
The workshop, which was conducted by Community and Mobalisation Coordinator of the National Aids Programme Secretariat Nazim Hussein, was held at the Sophia Training Centre.
Hussein in an invited comment disclosed that the Sports Ministry sought to capitalize on the presence of the players from the Hinterland in the city to sensitize them on HIV/AIDS education since it is a great challenge to do so in the Hinterland.
“So they felt it was a wonderful opportunity to sensitize this group of footballers on this issue and other related issues before they return home.”
The participants looked at the disease and how it can be spread, how it can be prevented and how they can empower themselves to use protection. The concern of stigma and discrimination was also discussed at the interactive session.
“We’ve known cases of people in certain sporting arena who are HIV positive and they are calls for those people not to continue playing and we want to sensitize them as to how they can deal with such challenges.”
Similar programmes were held with football clubs based in the city as well as dozens of cyclists.
Players who attended yesterday’s session are from Lethem, Bon Fin, Tabatinga, Annai and St. Ignatius in the Rupununi.
The MCY&S sponsored the Lethem All Star team for the 19th K&S tournament. They are expected to return home today.