Guyana Red Cross mounts booth at Amerindian Heritage celebrations

The Guyana Red Cross Society (GRCS) mounted a booth at this year’s annual Amerindian Heritage celebrations in Region 9.

The celebrations - observed from September 10 to 16 at Annai, North Rupununi - were official launched by President Bharath Jagdeo. The Ministers of Education, Amerindian Affairs, Health and Local Government were also in attendance.

The GRCS team (comprising staff, Together We Can peer educators and Peace Corps volunteers) organised the booth with the aim of promoting education and awareness on HIV, First Aid and health care.  This was done via posters, brochures, books, peers reached sessions, and dialogues.

 GRCS volunteers also played two games developed by the field office.  One of the games was in the form of a week-long quiz, the other was a ‘Wheel of Knowledge’ board-spinning game. 

The games were interactive and encourage players to learn more about HIV and Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT).

Questions asked during the board-spinning game included:  What is VCT? What is ARV (Anti Retroviral drugs)? Name two materials condoms are made of? Where can I get tested? Is HIV a gay/homosexual infection? and many more. 

GRCS peer educators were also able to conduct peers reached sessions for 26 students of the Annai Secondary School. 

The GRCS team was able to sensitise more than 700 people on HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI), VCT and other related health issues.

Work being done in the Region by other organisations was also showcased.  Some of the organisations were Wings of Hope/Remote Area Medical, Iwokrama Rain Forest Conservation, Conservation International, Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry, Macushi Research Unit and Institute of Private Enterprise Development.