Outreach Activities in Orange Walk District

Over the last week we were out and about at different training and outreach events for the HIV/AIDS Committee. On Tuesday Anthony participated in a training event in Belmopan that was run by PASMO (Pan American Social Marketing Organization). The training discussed different methods and ideas for organizing and running successful community outreach events. The day concluded with a short stint at the Belmopan Market where committee members and their counterparts ran a satellite table to distribute materials and educate people on the HIV/AIDS.

On Thursday, we both headed up north to Orange Walk town where we met and worked with a few other volunteers, The Women’s Department, and the Belize Family Life Association. The festivities began early on Friday morning when we all piled into a truck and drove out to the villages on the outskirts of town. The first stop was a small rural agricultural high school. While at the high school, we set up a tent and a couple of tables to meet with students, play games, and share information about HIV/AIDS and other STIs. The students were very eager to join in the fun and really seemed to take away a lot of important health information. The main purpose of our visit, however, was to visit each of the classrooms and facilitate four 45 minute sessions with the students. We began with brief, but thorough, discussions on specifics related to HIV and AIDS and then entered into a couple of games, which really helped the students get moving up and about the class. One of the games we played was focused on Healthy and Risky choices. Students were read a statement and asked to travel around the classroom to the spot that they most agreed on (Safe, Low Risk, and High Risk). After they reached their spots, we questioned them as to their choices and asked them to also tell the rest of the class why they believed what they did. We did this for around 125 students aged 13-17. It was a lot of fun, and the students really seemed to enjoy having some new faces in their classroom.

                                                               Anthony working around the satellite table; Ginnie back in her element as she teaches high school students about HIV/AIDS

Anthony questions students about their choices as they play through a risk game

After leaving the high school, we headed out to August Pine Ridge, a village of about 2500 people. In August Pine Ridge we met up at the primary school with a fellow volunteer and spent the afternoon first presenting to students different lessons on health and well-being and then utilized the remainder of the day as an opportunity to reach out to the remaining children and young adults through some games and other related activities. 

 When we first arrived in town, the school was closed early for the day.  We waited for a student to run and grab a key, and in the meantime a few kids thought it easier to just open the door by twisting their hand through an opening in one of the classrooms.  It was pretty hilarious as the first boy's hand was too big and they had to send for one smaller boy whose hand would easily fit to open the door.  They are quite resourceful, we'll give 'em that.

 Anthony throws out some tough questions at the students of August Pine Ridge Primary School

 

The children not answering questions, or just waiting their turn, took time to play

It was a really long day, but definitely filled with lots of fun. The kids all played around the tables as their friends participated in different games. As we drove off, we all felt that it had been a great success and were already planning and looking forward to setting up more events just like it. We returned to town and reached with just barely enough time to grab a snack before heading back out to the BFLA office to help the youth group make posters for their Saturday March in town.

 

More kids being entertained by a spare truck tire; a few boys try their hand at some of our table games

  Even as we packed up and took down the tent, many students would not stop helping us out and thanking us for the visit

 The 5 PCVs who helped out with this event, pose for a brief photo op at the end of a long day (Anthony, Olivia, Jackie, Ms. Jemma from BFLA, Matt, and Ginnie)

 

A cow looks on as we pass; one of the many sugar cane trucks that pass along the road from the fields to a processing plant closer to Orange Walk town

On Saturday, Anthony assisted a couple of other volunteers with organizing the different groups to march through town in their mini rally. We had about 60-70 young people come out with signs and chants who marched for 45 minutes promoting healthy lifestyles, good choices, and self esteem.

  Some of the different youth groups prepping for the march on Saturday morning

                                                               The young Belize cadets hold their signs as they wait patiently for the march to begin

The rally was quite a success and was well organized. After the rally, we returned to the market area where the remainder of the day was spent running an informational table, doing rapid HIV testing, and providing materials to the many people who came through the market that day. It was a tiring, but exciting, few days; by the time things were over, we were all ready for a long rest.

  Our March from the tail end as we wind back toward the center of town

  The kids taking a well deserved break after the long and quite toasty morning march