The Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society (TTRCS) will take its "Together We Can" Youth Peer Education Project to the Tobago Heritage Festival for nine days during the second half of July, beginning on Monday July 18.

In November 2003 the TTRCS in keeping with its strategic plan in HIV/AIDS to participate in the national, regional and international fight against HIV/AIDS embarked on an initiative to educate and inform the public at all levels about the infection.

The plan identified three priority areas: Prevention, Care and Support, and Advocacy. To date, a cadre of national trainers, instructor trainers, and peer educators, the body of persons that facilitates this education, has impacted over 200,000 members of the public, the largest percentage being among the Youth.

At the Heritage Festival in Tobago, Red Cross "Together We Can" interactive booths will be set up to educate and to raise the awareness of the public in how the infection can be transmitted, methods of prevention, examining behaviour to determine risk, how to develop skills to say no to sex if they so choose, how to support their peers in making the decision to abstain from or to delay sexual activity, how to use a condom properly if that is the individual's choice, and how to be sensitive towards people living with HIV/AIDS.

The TTRCS's booths which will be set up in the following areas on the dates identified in the schedule.

July 18 - 7 p.m. - Mt Grace

July 19 - 8 p.m. - Roxborough Cultural Complex

July 23 - 1 p.m. - Moriah

July 24 - 6 a.m. - 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. - Mason Hall

July 25 - 7 p.m. - Charlotteville

July 26 - 8 p.m. - Pembroke

July 28 - 5 a.m. - 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Black Rock

July 30 - 5 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Plymouth/Bethseda

July 31 - 8 p.m. - Mt Gornery Ground