In the upbringing of young people, teachers and parents play a vital role in the holistic development of the child. Parents are the first mentor of the child and the teacher is the second. Both have an immense contribution and responsibility in shaping a child’s personality. As the child grows and develops mastery in different skills, the teacher becomes a real guide in nurturing his or her interest and learning to make him or her more independent.

It is because of the reasons above that the African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN) through collaboration with Ocer Campion Jesuit College located in Gulu, Uganda organized a five-day AJAN HIV and AIDS Prevention Programme for the Youth (AHAPPY) Training of Trainers (ToT) for 65 participants made up of teaching and non-teaching staffs from 25th to 29th August 2023.

Ocer Campion Jesuit College was championed by the Jesuit Province of Eastern Africa in 2006 as a post–civil war recovery initiative for Northern Uganda. According to the current Head Teacher of the school, Fr. Obwanda Meyo, SJ., “Ocer Campion shares the characteristics of a Jesuit education that bind each of these schools to a common vision and common goals. Ocer Campion dedicates itself to preparing young men and women for lives of faith, love, service and leadership through the Jesuit tradition of Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam; “for the greater glory of God.”

The provision of Holistic education and support of integral personal development of young people is one of the cornerstones of the AHAPPY Program. Through the AHAPPY training, AJAN seeks to achieve in helping teachers accompany and engage young people on spiritual nourishment, the key issues affecting adolescents and youth, Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) and core elements that put young people in all their diversities, at the center of it all is the response to HIV and AIDS.

Holistic education approach emphasizes the development of the whole person intellectually, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. This approach sees children as individuals with unique needs and talents and recognizes that children learn best when their individual needs are met. The five-day training helped the teachers to come up with solution that will enable them address issues and challenges contributing to irresponsible behavior and negative values picked up by the students. This includes; the boy-girl sexual relationship among students at school, the Psychosocial well-being of the young people; and discussion on Sexual Reproductive Health, HIV and AIDS-related Stigmatization and discrimination, treatment and health which are connected to challenges in schools and the larger community.

Through the workshop, the facilitators got to interact with the teachers, particularly on topics of safeguarding the well-being of young people. By creating this open channel of communication where teachers share their experiences on how they handle issues with the young people in school, they become of service in protecting and safeguarding the young people’s upbringing at school and the community around them.

According to Mr. John Mary Kirangwa, assistant headteacher in charge of academics, “the five-day training has been enriching to me and all the participants that were present, I feel that the teachers have gained more knowledge and skills in the way they will be handling students’ issue moving forward. The topic that really elicited a lot of interest and discussion was how teachers can go beyond just looking at the problem the students face from the tip but going down at the grassroot to find the cause of a problem why a students might be behaving in a particular way. Apart from students, we also need teachers to examine themselves, the whole person not just the behavior in us. The other fundamental part of the training was the approach that we need to take when it comes to talking about sexuality to the teenagers, explaining and interacting with them how the human body works, enabling them to know apart from the girl becoming pregnant, if they don’t practice abstinence, they may contract Sexual Transmitted Diseases (STDs) or even Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Moving forward we are going to see how the AHAPPY Program moves from just a being a club for selected students but a school-wide program through incorporating it into the strategic plan of Ocer Campion Jesuit College.

Ms. Apio Flavia, says, “ As a Senior woman teacher, I have students that I journey with as there mother, providing psychological support to the students, having attended the 5-day training I have been able to know what AHAPPY program is all about, particularly when it comes to helping the students overcome stigma attached to diseases such as HIV, creating a favorable environment when talking about issues to do with sexuality, being able to be open with them this creates trust that enables the students to talk freely. On the topic of HIV and AIDS that is rarely talked about at school, I have gained knowledge that I will share with the young people and remind them that the disease still exists, and they have a duty to protect themselves through practicing Abstinence until that time they are married but even after that they still need to be faithful to their partners. So am looking towards the program being implemented in school.”

Speaking during the last day of the training, Head Teacher of the school, Fr. Obwanda Meyo, SJ., said, “The AHAPPY training at Ocer Campion Jesuit college was a success, I thank the facilitators of the training, (Ms. Pascalia Sergon, Mr. Johnfisher Ondigo, Dr. Julia Ngalula and Mr. Dennis Owuoche), I am now glad that what we are going to share with students is what the AHAPPY program is really about, and with the foster family that we created here at school where each teacher accompanies a group of students, I believe that those who are trained will be able to undertake a better job when it comes to molding the behavior change, character formation and holistic development of the young people here at school. It is my hope that the seed plated here have fallen on a rich soil, that is us and it is going to produce a hundredfold.”

Celebration of the Eucharistic Mass for the commissioning of the 65 participants that attended the AHAPPY training at Ocer Campion Jesuit College, Gulu, Uganda

On the last day of the training the 65 participants were commissioned and awarded AHAPPY certificates and flyers. The trained staffs will be resource persons in ensuring we have an informed young generation of people who are well trained about their spiritual lives and reproductive health where they have knowledge on HIV transmission and prevention, and they are also intellectually empowered to develop a deeper understanding of their own unique needs and interests. By teachers allowing children to explore their strengths and weaknesses, they can develop into well-rounded individuals.

The facilitators also took time to visit Radio Pacis, a Community Radio in Gulu, Uganda, E Africa. Founded by Arua Catholic Diocese. The radio station in collaboration with Ocer Campion Jesuit college, usually run AHAPPY program on Sundays at 1400Hrs EAT. During this session students from the AHAPPY club at Ocer Campion Jesuit College are invited where they discuss topics on Spirituality, Health and HIV and AIDS.

By,

Dennis Owuoche,

AJAN Communications Officer.