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The AIDS pandemic is moving into West Africa.
About 10 percent of the population in the Niger city of Arlit
is now infected. That’s the city nomads visit to trade.
Arlit’s uranium mines attract many
foreign workers. It also is the crossroads of West Africa,
with travelers and truckers passing through from Algeria, Libya
and Nigeria. Truckers, who also have contact with nomadic communities
outside of Arlit, have significant rates of HIV/AIDS.
The nomads are vulnerable and, until recently, knew little about
the disease. RAIN trains HIV/AIDS education committees that,
so far, have visited more than 100 communities, talking with
more than 10,000 nomads.
Using discussion, games and entertaining dramatizations they
visit schools during the day and encampments by night. They are
focusing on school children, to prevent risky behavior before
it starts. RAIN HIV/AIDS education volunteers also teach girls
about sexuality and other sexually-related health issues.
“The group least likely to be infected
is aged 5-14, primary
school children who represent the "window
of opportunity"
to
raise an HIV/AIDS-free generation.… Educated
children – particularly
girls – have a
reduced risk of contracting HIV.”
-
James T. Morris, Executive Director of the World Food Program
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