Wednesday, December 1st, 2010 marked the first-ever Ashesi Neighbourhood Walk organized to commemorate World AIDS Day. Members of staff and Ashesi’s HIV/AIDS Peer Educators participated in the walk adorned in beautiful T-shirts and Polo shirts that bore the inscriptions, “LOVE SMART, PLAY SAFE, CONDOMIZE!” and “I have a MESSAGE for you”, respectively. The wrist-bands that went with the outfit also said “I have a MESSAGE for you” while the caps read as “Go for VCT”. The shirts, wrist-bands and caps were by kind courtesy Family Health International (FHI), a leading global health and development organization.
The short neighbourhood walk, organized by the university health center, was designed to involve members of Ashesi’s environs. The walk took us past Maquis Tante Marie through the vicinity of Metro TV to GT Bank, Churcheese and finally to building 3 where refreshments were served. As we moved along, we distributed flyers on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) information. Some of the recipients of the flyers were very grateful for being sensitized on the significance of the 1st December. One woman remarked, “Oh, I did not know today was World AIDS Day o”. Another man asked to be given one of the T-shirts and a cap so that he too could be an advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness! It was truly a successful event with an impressive turn-out.
The University Nurse Administrator and the Peer Educators extend appreciation to all participants, who took time off their busy schedules to join the neighbourhood walk in commemoration of World AIDS Day.
