The India Post, Ambala, 17th October, 2008 :Four day training workshop on ‘Red Ribbon Express (RRE)’ by Haryana Zonal office, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) an autonomous body of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India for effective implementation of the comprehensive health campaign on rail about HIV-AIDS at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tepla, District Ambala concluded here today the training was organized with active support of Haryana AIDS Control Society . The RRE will enter Haryana on 14th November, 2008 and leave the state at Rewari on 27th November, 2008.
The workshop was formally inaugurated by Sh. Alwan Masih, Zonal Director, NYKS, Haryana Zone. He exhorted the participants to organize themselves, and work for the spreading awareness about how to protect the state form HIV/AIDS. This can be done by first empowering themselves through education and skill building. During the workshop Zonal Directer highlighted the Objectives of the workshop. Dr. Avnish Jolly, Facilitator conducted the training perogramme for four days. This training programme was organized for selected NYKS youth leaders and NYKS field officers from all the eight districts in Haryana where the RRE will be visiting. They were advised how to form network in their areas and villages, and how the members could derive the maximum benefit from them. The participants were also empowered on different health related issues and different guidelines and home remedies were discussed with them in length.
The Resource Person who gave orientation to the participants were :
1. Sh.K.P.S.Gill, District Youth Coordinator, Ambala
2. Sh.S.P.Kaushik, District Youth Coordinator, Ambala
3. Sh.Narender Yadav, District Youth Coordinator, Hisar
4. Sh.Pardeep Kumar, District Youth Coordinator, Jind
5. Smt. Madhu Choudhary , District Youth Coordinator, Rohtak
6. Sh Amit Kumar, NYKS, Delhi
7. Mr.Sevanand Vats, DD, HACS,Panchkula
8. Dr.Maninder Kaur, DD, HACS,Panchkula
9. Mrs. Teenu Khanna, Deputy Director, IEC,HACS,Panchkula
10. Ms.Harpreet Kaur, AD, IEC,HACS,Panchkula
11. Sh.Manoj Kumar , Coach , CTC,Rohtak
12. Mrs. Pooja Tahkur , President,C NP+
13. Mrs.Nawndrer Jha, Programme Coordinator, DIC, Chandigarh
Sh. Alwan Mahis explained that RRE Project,in India is jointly organized by NYKS, Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and NACO as a multi sectoral project to spread awareness on HIV/AIDS and promote safe behavioral practices. It is a National Campaign to mainstream the issue of HIV/AIDS through about 180 districts/halt stations and hold programmes and activities in 43,200 villages. The concept is a broad based multimedia, multi-sectoral mass mobilization project in the country to make it a holistic and comprehensive campaign to mobilize people’s movement against HIV/AIDS.
The vision behind the project is to promote a multi-sectoral effort by which HIV/AIDS could be mainstreamed within the context of overall socio-economic development rather than merely as a medical/public health issue.
The project with primarily focus on rural areas aimed at:
1. Disseminating information regarding primary prevention services;
2. Developing an understanding about the disease to reduce stigma & discrimination against People Living with HIV/AIDS and;
3. Strengthening people’s knowledge about the measures to be taken to prevent getting HIV/AIDS; and
4. Adopting preventive health habits and lifestyle.
General population with focus on youth groups, women self help group members, adolescents/ student community from schools & colleges, PRI members, youth in uniformed services and out of school/non-student youth in the community.
Red Ribbon Express Train Coach Details:
The Red Ribbon Express will consist of seven coaches as follows:
1. Coach I, Exhibition: It will have display of educational material, primarily on HIV/AIDS, interactive touch screens and 3-D models.
2. Coach II, Exhibition: It will have display of educational material with focus on HIV/AIDS linked to NRHM programmes, such as PPTCT services in the context of RCH II, HIV-TB co-infection etc.
3. Coach III, Exhibition: It will have display of educational material with focus on HIV within the socio-developmental context (inter-sectoral/ mainstreaming approach)
4. Coach IV, Auditorium cum Conference: It will have arrangements for orientation/ sensitization of selected groups such as PRIs, AWWs, SHGs, youth and women. A group of 48 people can be oriented in one batch with three sessions planned per day. It will have LCD projector and platform for folk performances.
5. Coach V, Counseling cum Medical Services: It will have six cabins- 4 counseling cabins and two doctor’s cabins for providing counseling and syndromic treatment for STI and RTI cases. There will be no HIV testing facility on board. However, provisions for referral services to the nearby ICTC and other care & support services on HIV/AIDS will be ensured.
6. Coach VI, Sleeper coach: In this coach 50 performer’s team from NYKS will be traveling.
7. Coach VII, Office, Dinning cum pantry
Activities in the areas around stations – An environment building campaign in the villages, prior to programme day, is being organised by NYKS through its network with slogan/wall writing, posting of posters, rallies and mass contact drives. Programmes like performances of local cultural group, Nukkad Natak by 06 trained RRE Trained Train Cultural Teams of 08 participants each; who would be travelling in the train, installation of information desks, Focus Group Discussion, commitment to form the Red Ribbon Clubs, feedback survey etc. will be organized in 24 villages around the halt station each day. Programmes will be organized locally in the identified villages by NYKs under the guidance of the respective DC who is head of the District level Organizing Committee (DLOC).
Sh. Alwan Masih is confident that after the training the NYKS volunteers will mobilize the masses in collaboration with local NGOs, NSS, NCC, Scouts and Guides, Red Cross, youth wings of political parties and CBOs such as Lions and Rotary clubs are being involved in this mega awareness campaign and the development partners, elected representatives, PRIs will be roped in to enhance the reach in rural areas and other uncovered areas. The district wise micro activity chart for effective implementation finalized by NYKS in consultation with the team of SACS/RRE team.
Dr.(Mrs.)Upasana Singh, Programme Coordinator, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ambala appreciated the efforts of the resource persons and participants to make this project a great success. Sh. Alwan Masih thanked Dr. Avinash Sharma DG Health Services, SACS for all the technical support for the training and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ambala for logistic support in the training.