The following is an article
written by Sophie Layen, who is currently on an internship
with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies in Trinidad. She talks about her experiences
in a new country as well as role within the International
Federation.
Imagine having the chance to live on a Caribbean island,
experience another culture, and play a role in the development
of a world reputed HIV prevention programme.
My name is Sophie Layen and
I am Health Intern at the Caribbean Regional Representation
Office of the International Federation of Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies, based in Trinidad.
I am from England, and a Graduate
Management Trainee with the United Kingdom (UK) National
Health Service (NHS). As part of my course, I had the opportunity
to organise a three month internship with another organisation.
I
was keen to join the International Federation in order
to experience working for a non profit organisation in
a developing country, and to reflect on how this compares
with working in the UK for the NHS.
I was very interested
to work in HIV since the epidemic continues to impact populations
world-wide.
I was a little scared when I
first arrived in Trinidad. It
was quite daunting to arrive in a country I had never been
before, to live with someone I had never met, and to integrate
into a new office. I was very grateful that the International
Federation had been able to organise accommodation for
me.
My role at the International
Federation is to evaluate the impact of its “Together We Can” (TWC) HIV
peer education programme across member countries in the
Caribbean.
TWC began in Jamaica in 1993 as a
collaboration between the Jamaican Red Cross and American
Red Cross. It
has now been introduced into almost all the other countries
in the Caribbean and is recognized as the standard International
Federation peer education methodology in the region.
Through
the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data,
I have undertaken an evaluation of who TWC has managed
to reach, and how factors such as demographics, gender
and vulnerability influence people’s response to
the programme. I am also investigating some of the
challenges faced by Red Cross Societies and how other organisations
are targeting vulnerable populations with information about
HIV.
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