Centre Maisha is a Jesuit institution, established in 2002, has been working to raise awareness on the issue of HIV/AIDS among the population of Kisangani, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With this in mind, Centre Maisha, in partnership with the African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN), recently organized a training of trainers. This event was a crucial step in our efforts to strengthen the skills of peer educators and youth leaders from various parishes, youth groups and other organizations connecting with youth in Kisangani.

The training of trainers of the AHAPPY programme, or “A Happy Generation”, offers a unique opportunity to train new trainers in order to further expand the programme already established in 17 centres in 17 countries of the AJAN network. AHAPPY is an acronym for “AJAN HIV Prevention Programme for the Youth“.

Father Jean-Claude Bindanda, SJ Director of the Center Maisha

This intensive training, which took place over a five-day period from 3 to 7 March 2024, brought together trainers from diverse backgrounds to exchange ideas, share best practices and enrich their knowledge. The sessions covered a variety of relevant topics, ranging from STI prevention to integral youth development. Indeed, all 5 modules of the AHAPPY programme have been completed and the feedback shows how the programme has had a positive impact on the participants, helping them to acquire new skills and knowledge that are valuable for their daily lives.

The presence of Dr. Olinda, a member of the team of trainers and head of the National AIDS Control Program (PNLS) in the province of Tshopo (Kisangani), marked this training. Dr Olinda stressed the critical importance of the fight against HIV/AIDS and urged participants to engage in the fight against HIV/AIDS, stressing that victory is possible when everyone contributes to the collective effort. His intervention inspired a sense of urgency and determination among the participants, reinforcing their commitment to the cause.

The main objective of the training was to provide trainers with the necessary tools to promote education and holistic development of young people. Within the network, we strongly believe that an effective way to combat HIV/AIDS among young people is to equip them with sound knowledge and promote good practices. That’s why we’ve focused on the importance of creating inclusive learning environments, where every individual has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential.

The training also provided a platform to discuss the current challenges faced by young people, and to explore innovative solutions to overcome them. We encouraged open and constructive dialogue, fostering a sense of collaboration and community engagement.

At the end of the training, participants had the opportunity to share their personal experience, thus offering a general overview of the training. Here is the inspiring testimony of one of our participants:

In the end, this enriching experience reinforced our conviction that the fight against HIV/AIDS, especially among young people, is essential for the well-being and sustainable development of our African society which bears a major burden of this epidemic in about 70% of cases. By investing in the development of trainers, we are helping to shape a better future for our youth and for our entire community.

We are convinced that these testimonies are just the beginning of a series of inspiring stories. We warmly invite our readers to stay connected and subscribe to our newsletter to discover more testimonials to come. Stay tuned to be the first to read compelling stories.

We express our deep gratitude to the 32 participants, stakeholders and partners who made this training possible. Their dedication and commitment were essential to the success of the event.

By, Fernando Nimbu, SJ

AJAN Liaison officer.