Youth Against AIDS Clubs

We are losing too many people to HIV/AIDS.

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At Jeevan Sahara Kendra we are committed to helping people with HIV and their families - at whatever stage of the disease they are in - just found out - or well into the sickness - or at the end of life. We are here to help and to see people living with HIV/AIDS and their families receive hope, health and eternal life.

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But after 6 years of working and over 130 of our friends passing away - we also want to see people not get HIV in the first place.

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One small set of steps we are taking towards this is youth-focussed and run HIV prevention programme that we have been trying to nurture called Youth Against AIDS.

At the end of last month we had an amazing training which Ken Mcrae from the Dehradun Youth Centre facilitated. We had gathered to learn how to run Youth Against AIDS clubs (YAA clubs for short). A small group of us gathered at the Bible Centre in Pune for an intense time of learning.

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And intense it was.

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Ken started out by telling us how he became involved with young people in Dehra Dun. In the space of a year, he found out that 4 young people had committed suicide in a small neighbourhood of 800 odd middle class families. Two of these were from families who attended church. Ken waited for some time and then met with the pastors to find out what they had done since the tragedy had taken place. One pastor said that everyone was sad and determined to do something - but what? The other pastor said that the boy in question was a ruffian anyway.

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Spurred on by a desire to see real change for young people, Ken and his team did a survey among local schools and found that young people overwhelmingly wanted to have a place where they could drop in and talk. They wanted people to come to their schools and speak straight with them about sex, relationships, drugs, changes. Ken and the DYC team took up the challenge. Today there is a network of relationships among the young people - with youth reaching out to youth and bringing hope.
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We were the blessed to have Ken walk us through a series of sessions aimed at helping us reach out to young people. Ken hammered home a simple message. We have to love each person - and let them know that they are loved and accepted - no matter how rotten and mixed up they may feel (and may be).

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Each person, each thought, each confidence is precious.

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We have to do a lot of listening - and put our judgements on hold - to build a level of trust where a young person is able to tell from the heart what he or she is going through. Clubs offer a unique opportunity to break out of the straight-jacket of fear that stops youth from speaking the truth of their lives to figures in authority. This silence can be deadly - as the 4 suicides that started Ken on this path show. Clubs are wonderful at building friendships - and affirming the value of each person - as well as that of the group. We learned again and again that even more than the content of what we talk / discuss / teach during the club sessions - it is how we do it that will shape the lives of our friends.

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The Barthe Kadam curriculum which we used as the basis for the YAA clubs is a powerful tool to this end. It is open-ended and user-friendly - specially designed to include everyone in meaningful and fun activities that lead to discussing things that matter. Dr. Jameela George and her colleagues at EHA have used this programme across north India with adolescent groups - especially in the rural areas they serve. The principles are the same for the urban setting - every young person has dreams - and yet so few attain even a fraction of them. The changes that take place during puberty and early adulthood are often so poorly understood that before the young person knows it, they have made choices that bring only sadness. Our experience with so many end-of-life experiences with people who are in their early thirties and dying of AIDS only serves as a sad back-drop to this.

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At the same time, Ken helped remind us that the process of change, of maturing and experimenting with life that young people go through is full of such wonderful potential as well. Parents find it threatening to see their children make decisions of their own - and of course some of these end up with harmful results - but the very fact that youth are choosing things points to their taking their destiny into their hands. What a tremendous set of ideas and energy young people bring to the table - and how sad that the older generation usually loses out on the many chances to channel the energy and potential of youth because they elders are too afraid to trust young people. What marvellous opportunities for new partnerships we see!

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As with all good things - this camp came to an end too. Ken had to go back to Dehra Dun (and then on to China where his daughter and her husband are working - in the very area the earthquake took place). We had to return to our colleagues in Thane and all the other work JSK is doing. The youth leaders and pastors who attended had congregations to return too as well. Our hope is that every participant would be able to start a YAA club through their local youth fellowships. Lets see what happens when we all get back 'home'!

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At a last evening bonfire we reflected on what we had experienced over the 3 days till then. Each person was deeply moved and changed by the experience. It was exhillerating to be with Ken and get deep insights from the people he and his colleagues have worked with. There was a deep bonding and fellowship among all the participants and we left the camp as friends. The exercises were engaging, the food was superb, the worship was great. Each one of us was deeply challenged to work with young people with a new urgency - and a new friendliness and respect. Each one of us was challenged to be more honest and transparent in how we work through tough issues ourselves - and to be a friend and helper to this upcoming generation. We are once again aware of the power of God to change lives and shape destinies!
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Please pray for the YAA clubs this year. Though each person who came was a blessing - we were sad that so many others missed out on such an amazing time. The YAA club concept, using the Barthe Kadam materials is moving forward though. Just this evening I heard from bro. Joshi that his team had recently used the materials among the girls at Mukti Mission - and met with a tremendous response from them!

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May we see many young lives changed - for the long term good! Its time we stopped AIDS - and the only way is through changed lives. Impossible in the eyes of the world - but with the help of the Holy Spirit?