HIV awareness: Trip to Kibogora hospital

On Saturday 15th September, Mihabula primary school's P6 students and the 3 first students in P5 and P4 with all teachers, head teacher and the pastor went on a school trip. They visited:

Kamembe airport: Rwanda's second largest airport. The aim was to give kids an opportunity to see an aeroplane, learn meteo instruments etc...;

Kibogora Hospital: A Methodist church funded hospital. The aim was to get HIV facts directly from the health care professionals, and if possible see a HIV patient;

Ntendezi agro-vet secondary school. The aim was to influence kids' dreams as well as of course giving them an opportunity to see the rivers, lake and hills they only try to memorize during geography lessons.

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The visit, especially the trip to Kibogora Hospital- a Methodist Church funded hospital, is part of RSVP's 2 year action plan.

The aim was to equip those kids with basic knowledge about HIV AIDS and prevention methods.

Since kids do not have access to evidence based information (TV, Newspapers and radio programs), such a trip is key to keeping them free from HIV.

On the above photograph, Dr Damien Nsabimana is welcoming kids and kindly taking them first on guided tour around the hospital before seating down for the talk.

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Kids were carefully listening. And kids as well as teachers and head teacher were all taking notes as shown here and here.

After the guided tour, kids and those accompanying them gathered in a room where Dr Damien gave a detailed and clear exposé on HIV AIDS.

Kids and their teachers asked questions. It was encouraging to hear their questions since sex topics are still culturally considered taboo.

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In addition to clear evidence based answers, Dr Damien Nsabimana also explained the Christian's view on the topic (the hospital belongs to the Methodist Church...!) without however compromizing or watering down the scientific reality.

At the end of the visit, Dr Damien Nsabimana thanked the trip organisers for such an initiative saying "it will certainly make a difference in the lives and performance of the kids".

He also said he would be more than happy to host another group from Mihabula primary School every year.

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On the way back, kids stopped by a neighbouring secondary school: Ntendezi Agro- Vet School.

Kids were taken around by one of the school managers who showed them the dormitories, restaurant, classrooms. This brief visit was done to encourage kids to enlarge their aspirations so that one day they will have a privilege of getting into secondary school.

Very happy for the trip and all lessons learnt, kids were smiling and determined to work hard in order to achieve the DEAR DREAM: reaching secondary school then university and become one day like Dr Damien Nsabimana!!! Why not?

The cost of not passing is huge. How many will end up working like this? Or spending the rest of their lives on subsistance farming like here?

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