SMK Bukit Jalil

| 21 April 2011

On Tuesday, 29/03/2011 we had two workshops in the same school. The difference to the workshops before was, that we hold our presentation in front of secondary students. Alex and I were very excited about them, how they behave and work with us. But we would not had to worry about it.

The first workshop on Tuesday was with 13 years old kids. They were awesome, very interested in the issue and concentrated on what we are talking about.

But unfortunately we weren’t allowed to show them how they have to use a condom. Sure they are still very young, but I think it is important to teach them about it. They do not learn much about sex and prevention in school as their teacher told us. So their parents have to. But what if they don’t?

In German schools the children have the first “contact” with the sexuality issue at the age of 8. They learn in school how their body works and that it is very important to prevent themselves from different kind of diseases.

Our second workshop in SMK Bukit Jalil was in front of 14 to 15 year old students. It was also great fun to talk with them. But those students were more impudent and a bit pert. But I think they got the point and know now a lot about HIV/Aids and that they should not create a distance towards themselves and HIV+ people.

Universiti Putra Malaysia

Properly the date for our workshop in UPM was 2 days before. But on Tuesday we had no audience. I think there was a little communication problem. But a teacher invited Alex and me to hold our workshop in his class. We were happy about this opportunity that we can still talk with the UPM students about HIV/AIDS.

On Thursday Alex and I went to DKFEM-3, like Germans always on time, but no one was there. Eng May told us that classes in Malaysia always start 10-20 minutes later. We still have to learn a lot about the Malaysian thinking .

Soon or later we had our workshop in front of about 50 students, a good result I think comparing to Tuesday.

The workshop was during regular class time, so we had not so much time to talk to the students. Unfortunately Alex and I had to shorten our presentation. But the students were active and asked a lot of questions. So we had a lot of fun and we raised awareness about HIV and AIDS. It is always a great feeling to know that the people know now more about HIV and know the way to live with it or with HIV+ people.

Alex shows how to use a condom in the right way.

The two UPM students try opening it the way Alex told them

Thank you for your cooperation!

Workshop and Shelter home visitation

The workshop on 19.03.11 was the second one we held. This time it was a little more complicated than the first time. A male nurse presented his work with HIV-positive patients right before us. Of course he didn’t just tell us about his experience but also about HIV/AIDS in general. He actually did my presentation for me. This meant I had to cut my speech short, though this time we had to fill about two hours of workshop, which was very difficult because we could only fill around one hour.

Fortunately we had enough condoms to stretch the demonstration of “how to put on a condom correctly”. In addition we played a short game, where all participants stood in a circle, held each other by the hand but not of someone next to one another and then tried to form a circle again. This game actually showed how important communication is, for instants in a relationship, to avoid misunderstandings and to prevent complications no matter how uncomfortable it is, especially concerning HIV/AIDS.

The only thing that bothered me a little, it was kind of intimidating to present in front of an expert, as we were afraid of getting bad feedback because of false information, even though we knew that all of our information are correct.

After we held our presentation and after we showed the AIESEC Message video, we asked the students to each write a message to the kids at the HIV shelter, which could be anything they wanted to say to them. Some wrote just short phrases like “stay strong” or “we love you” and some even quoted songs e.g. Bruno Mars, “you’re amazing just the way you are”. It didn’t matter to me how long or how creative each message was, but every single one was something special and very moving!

Later that day we (me, Carolin and the students) visited a shelter for HIV-positive people. As we arrived I had some mixed feelings. Even though we were the ones teaching about HIV/AIDS, it was our first contact with HIV-positive people.

I knew that nothing would happen and there was no chance of getting infected, though I still asked myself the question “what if?”. It was stuck in my head. What I always had to be aware of, I couldn’t show any fears or second thoughts in front of the students. You shouldn’t sell the product if you don’t believe in it! I did believe in what I taught, though the first reality check isn’t always easy to take.

What was very surprising, we didn’t visited children but adults in their late 30s till 90s. After a french nurse showed us around and told us a lot about the course of the disease we went to talk, communicate and play with the patients. It was very scary to see how the virus and the medication can affect your brain and disable your body. Seeing people who lost their sight, who couldn’t walk and were mentally deranged was very shocking and really pushed our awareness.

But the most incredible feeling was, to see them smiling and laughing when I played and/or talked to them. I could see they were having a good time and it meant the world to them if you touched them by laying your arm around, hugging, shaking hands or even just a high five once in a while. Amazing how much difference such a small gesture makes…

IMU - International Medical University

This was my first workshop for the HOPE Project with AIESEC and I was a bit nervous before.The IMU is a nice university. The building is very huge and modern. Original it was a shopping mall and the escalators are still in use. The establishment was impressive, a lot of medical stuff.

There were about 20 students and they were great. The medical students have been very interested. That made it easier for us.

First we played a little game with them to break the ice and get more relaxed. We all had much fun.Although I was a bit nervous the workshop went well. The students were interested and asked many questions afterwards.

I think this is a good response for us. They asked us about the biological tissue, but also about the prevention. I was happy that we could raise awareness about HIV/AIDS even by medical students which already know a lot about the topic.

At the end of our workshop we did a condom demonstration. The girls and the boys were laughing about it. But I think they got it. Now they know how to use a condom and to tell them is one part of our job.

After the workshop we had lunch together und we were asked a lot about ourselves and our country. It was nice to see, that the students are really interested in us and our workshop.

Thanks AIESEC for this experience!!

SEGI College

| 12 April 2011

That was the last workshop of the second batch interns with a lot of memories. We came to the school just in time and started the sessions right after arivring. When we come to the venue, everything was prepared very well. All the students were ready to learn new things related to HIV and AIDS.

We held some games firstly to wake them up and help them to be less nervous before going to the main topic. After that, we showed them the video which is about AIESEC to help them know more about our organization and our internship program. And lucky , after the workshop, some audiences were curious about AIESEC and asked questions related.

After game and video we started with our presentation which is the last one I joined 2 smart girls of our second batch. To tell the truth, we lack of sleep and we were all sleepy before that because of very beautiful musical party the night before. However, when we run the workshop, we were very good and did not get any mistakes because the atmosphere there makes us excited.

Frankly, the students were a little bit shy when talking about HIV, condom or sex, but with our games, they did very well and answered exactly the questions raised. And the importance thing is that we always get from the school is enthusiasm and friendliness. They provided us with foods and drink, which makes our group more interested and powerful.

The last workshop was not special, but it is unforgetable workshop in my internship because that is the last opportunity for me to meet and to cooperate with other members in group. I want to say thank you to them because of the long time they stand by me and what I gain from them.

SMK Tunku Ampuan Durah, Seremban

That is one of our memorable workshops when we all together went to our OCP’s home town which is very beautiful and peaceful. Thanks to Eng May, we had chance to go to the local night market where we can get a variety of interesting foods including Indian food, Malaysian food, and Chinese food.

The night we prepared the red ribbons together is when I remember most. We made so many ribbons to deliver students in the workshops, we had so much fun together and so many good pictures together to memorize our beautiful moment in our lives.

The workshop in Seramban is also one of the best workshop we have done. Frankly, there are nearly 140 audiences joining the workshop. But, we knew about that before, so that we prepared some suitable sessions for the workshop.

Firstly, students had chance to play a Vietnamese game to make friends and to do exercise before getting new information. Next, we show them a short video about AIESEC and fortunately, after that children feel curious with AIESEC and some want to become Aiesecers in the future. That makes me very happy and motivated.

After showing video, we presented HIV and AIDS as normal, play True and false game. Not only that, the different thing of this project is the participation of Eng May and another Aiesecer who help us to run condom demonstration session.

Because of the big group of students, we divided them into 2 groups, one joined condom demonstration while the other share with interns their feelings and their plan. That is the good opportunity for us to get to know more about teenagers and their concern. To tell the truth, the students are quite shy, but by enthusiasm, we did a good job, shared with them about our countries and experiences.

Thanks AIESEC for giving us the chance to work together and understand more about children.

SMK Bukit Bandaraya & SMK Pulau Indah

On 24^th Feb ,we run 2 very nice workshops about HIV/ AIDS. Two workshops were run in 2 secondary schools in KL with more than 50 participants each workshop.

The facilities were really good and the school did support us a lot, that encourages us to make the presentation better. In fact, we faced a lot of difficulties and drawbacks because the two schools are very far from each other and we did not know how to take public transport to go back. And we were very worried about that; however, thanks so support from UPM’s driver and the teacher in the schools, we did have a very nice day with two good workshops.

About the first workshop, we received good feedback from school and they invited us to enjoy very nice meal there.

For the second workshop, it was really far from the first workshop and it takes us 2 hours by car from the first to the second workshop.We did have a discussion whether we should teach them such as English, games, dance, and so on. And the workshop start earlier than in plan.

The audiences are 14 years old, and fortunately, they are quite good at English .To tell the truth, our workshop is not as normal, it was much simpler, but that was the happiest workshop in my internship so far.

We had a huge amount of time to share with children, to play and to chat with them. And I realize that countryside kids are very lovely, friendly. We were the first group going to the school and teach them something special. And after all, that is an unforgettable day in my life and we can deal with any challenging in our lives if having HOPE.

Frankly, each workshop helps us to gain more knowledge about problems and issues and catch up with what is happening in the world. In addition, when searching information about the issues, we see a number of unlucky people who need our help and so that we reach more effort to devote to the project that protect human beings from HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

I want to say thank you to HOPE project and PTF because you give us very good opportunities to make friends, integrate with many people from different countries and areas in the world.

Special Thank

| 05 April 2011

Special thank to all the sponsoring company and involved in

HIV&AIDS Awareness Run

Awesome Event - HIV & AIDS Awareness Run 2011

It was a day of fun and glamour under a canopy of azure blue sky as around 300 of participants had taken part in HIV/AIDS Awareness Run that held in Ekspo Hill , UPM on 27^th March 2011.

HIV/AIDS Awareness Run is organized under HOPE project by AIESEC in UPM with the aim to raise the awareness on HIV/AIDS issue among the public . It is also an effort to eliminate stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV/AIDS .

Warming Up

Square Dance

Thumb Print

To deliver the message of

No Stigma ,

No Discrimination

Story Sharing by members of Pink Triangle Foundation (PTF)

Experiences Sharing by HOPE Project Interns -Alexander and Caroline that came from Germany. They had shared their experience to all the participants about workshop being conducted ,visitation to shelter home and volunteering jobs at Pink Triangle Foundation.

Furthermore, Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) and Pink Triangle Foundation (PTF), were took part in this event to educate the participants in the knowledge of creating awareness towards issues about HIV/AIDS by setting up HIV/AIDS Education Booth.

Besides that, Rumah Solehah had took part in the educational booth as well. It is the half-way home for women and children living with HIV/AIDS and also under the patronage of Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia.

Alongside the HIV/AIDS Awareness Run , 988 Radio Station ,which is the official Chinese Radio Station for the event had send their 988 Happy Cruiser to Expo Hill .Numerous prizes were gave out to the winners of the interactive games by Happy Cruiser .

The top ten winners in male and female categories received their prize respectively by Datuk Mohd Zaman Khan , President of Malaysian AIDS Council ( MAC ) at the end of the event .