MOBILIZING STUDENT LEADERS FOR HIV/AIDS PREVENTION IN LAGOS STATE

A Project supported by Lagos State AIDS Control Agency/World bank under the World Bank HIV/AIDS fund(H.A.F .2)

::PROJECT GOAL::

To reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS amongst the target population as well as reinforcing collective action of student leaders against the pandemic in Lagos state.

::OBJECTIVES::

The objective of Project, are as follows
• To disseminate information related HIV/AIDS prevention to the target population and host communities.
• To train in-school youth on peer (outreach) education based on HIV/AIDS prevention, Sexuality, R/SH and social practices.
• To collate, produce and distribute current BCC/IEC materials on reproductive & sexual health and HIV prevention.

::STRATEGIES::

YARN will work towards HIV/AIDS prevention, increasing safer Reproductive Health (RH) and social practices among adolescents and young people in the institutions and its environs. To achieve this, YARN propose to adopt the following strategies

::PROJECT SITE::

The proposed project sites are campuses of the government owned universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Lagos state. The choice of the project sites is informed by the majority of the high-risk population i.e. young people are found here during the academic session, though they could be residing elsewhere. The population of people possesses a variance in sexual orientation, risky behavior etc, making them “a must” target to prevention oriented project. The proposed new institutions include:

(1) Adeniran Ogunsanya college of education, Ijanikin
The institution is state government administered with an estimated population of about 15,000. Its main campus is situated at Ijanikin, Ojo local government with other campuses at Jibowu, Mushin etc. It is nonresidential enabling interaction between students and the community.

(2) Federal college of Education Technical), Akoka
The institution is one of the first colleges of education established in Nigeria with comfortable live-in facilities for students. The institution has an estimated population of 25,000 students, it is situated in Akoka, Yaba local government area thus making it easily accessible to urban operations.

(3) Lagos state post primary college of Education Epe
The institution is situated in a more remote part of Lagos with an estimated population of 15,000.The institution boast of professionalism in the training of teachers and its strategic location is important, as Epe town is one of the highest HIV risk zone in Lagos.

Specific project activities such as the distribution of quarterly newsletter/BCC materials and the interactive YARN R/H website will be benefited by the following higher institution to scale up past interventions.

a. Lagos state polytechnic with Isolo, kosofe and Ikorodu campuses.
b. Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH).
c. Lagos State University (LASU) Ojo and Epe campuses.

Also for an encompassing approach at reaching in school young people an intervention is incomplete without touching the secondary schools. As a result of that, YARN will commence a pilot intervention targeted at secondary schools starting with

d. Wesley Girls Secondary School
e. Eletu – Odibo Senior High School
f. Fazi-lo-mar Senior Secondary school
g. Birrel Avenue Senior High School