Strokes and words of hope

June 12, 2011 - PRLog -- World Vision’s Empowering Children for HIV & AIDS Mitigation Project (ECHAMP) in Goa organized the National AIDS Awareness Spot painting & essay competition for children which was initiated by Christian AIDS National Alliance (CANA). The objective of this event was to create awareness on HIV & AIDS among the children and to sensitize the churches on the issues of people living HIV & AIDS. This event was organized in different places in Panjim, Margao and Vasco soon after the church service and nearly 173 children actively participated.
ECHAMP has been working in south Goa to empower children for HIV and AIDS mitigation. The team focuses on empowerment and advocacy programmes that are aimed at keeping children safe. The project facilitates the formation of children club through child participation and conducts regular Life skill education programme encouraging children to face life without fear of harassment.

The project also provides a platform to bring out the creative skills of the children and express themselves through cartoon comics, paintings and essays.  The children are also trained as peer educators’ to practice and transfer the skills to the peer groups. The projects strive to empower children to be effective agents of transformation in society by sharing their learning.

As part of their networking with churches, the project staff mobilized the children from different churches and Christian schools. Following the competition, the staff gave a talk on HIV & AIDS and the role of each individual in prevention. The paintings and the essays by the children were collected and sent to the CANA.  This event also created an avenue in some schools to have School AIDS education program and to invite the churches to the Channels of Hope workshop.
Five children from the project secured prizes through this event;  Gyles Ferrao and John G Gomes secured prizes in paining and Karenza, Kimberley Gomes and Sujata Pujari secured prizes in essay writing.
This initiative will also build a strong network for the project to expand their work among orphan and vulnerable children (OVC) and their family members in Goa.
Goa ECHAMP project is partnering with churches to provide care and support for OVC and their family members. This event has helped in strengthening the partnership and sustaining the programmes.

# # #

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation working to create lasting change in the lives of children, families and communities living in poverty