Rokiah Mahmud
The Brunei Darussalam AIDS Council (BDAIDS Council) conducted talks on their HIV Awareness Programmes for Peers and Youth (HAPPY) at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE) Agro-Technology Campus, Wasan as students began their higher education studies.
Around 700 UBD students attended the talk as part of their Freshers’ Week on Tuesday, while some 160 IBTE Agro-Technology Campus students participated as part of their orientation week on Wednesday.
The talks were delivered by Siti Nurzaimah Nazhirah binti Haji Zaim from HAPPY Team who shared the latest local data on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and teenage pregnancy by highlighting age and gender that dominate the statistics.
She also mentioned that the figures can be curbed by applying abstinence to prevent youth from getting involved in behaviours that lead to the infection of STIs, getting pregnant out of wedlock, or early marriage.
HAPPY is a youth-led project that promotes HIV awareness. It aims to deliver its message to young people in a way that has been adapted to the local context.
Meanwhile, BDAIDS Council also held an awareness briefing on HIV and AIDS for Berakas Secondary School’s Year 10 students at the school’s Anggerek Hall recently.
The briefing aimed to raise awareness on HIV and AIDS, help the target group make rational choices in social issues, and to disseminate the knowledge gained by the participants to their peers.
The event began with welcome remarks from Berakas Secondary School Principal Alexandar bin Bandang, followed by the briefing delivered by BDAIDS Council President Iswandy bin Ahmad.
At the end of the briefing, a question and answer session was held and certificates of appreciation and souvenirs were presented by the principal.
