So what next?
Many thanks for your contributions so far.
So what will you advice youth entrepreneurs to do? What INNOVATIVE measures and programmes should they implement in their small businesses?
Hi Colleaques,
My advice to youth entrepreneurs are :
- To go for Voluntary Counselling and Testing to know their HIV status
- Learn about the diseases and how to take care of themselves
- Learn to live positively and with others
- Get information about treatment option
- Protect against infection to themselves and other in the family
- Referral to support group and to share problems and solution with other people infected with HIV
- Feel relieved and stop worrying when tested
- Learn how to protect yourself from HIV
- Encourage other youth to go for Voluntary Counselling and Testing
The innovatives measures and programme to implment in small businesses are:
The youth should includes the following suggestions to their programmes:
- Start to educate others about HIV/AIDS
- Support and encourage everyone (youth and others)to support HIV/AIDS prevention programme
- Talk about the risk of HIV/AIDS and other STIs
- Explain that condoms may help to save lives fromHIV/AIDS and other Sexuall Transmitted Infections
- Explain that the condom protect the health of both partners invoved
- Support People Living With HIV/AIDS(PLWHA) so that they can live a happy life
- Keep away from having sexual intercourse with someone whose lifestyle gives questionable
- Avoid alcohol or drugs
- Treat HIVAIDS as any other illness in terms of employment and health policies and practices
- Involve People Living With HIV/AIDS(PLWHA) into the development and appraisal of HIV/AIDS policies and programme
I would advise youth entrepreneurs to realise that HIV is real and that it affects them whether they are infected or not. They must endeavour to have information on what services are available in their locality.
If their businesses employ others, they must have some HIV and AIDS policy to support the employees who are infected or affected to minimise absenteeism and maximise production
It is sad that people have been sacked from their firms because they have disclosed to their employers that they have HIV/AIDS. People have been ejected from their homes because they have HIV not even aids. Some Colleges do not admit some students because they have HIV. We need stringent policy and proper education on the disease to enable us help others and support them. As young we teach young entrepreneurs, we need to emphasize on empathy and the natural law of do unto others, what you expect them to do unto you.
I would advise youths to:
- form peer groups in their enterprises. this for them to discuss any HIV & AIDS related issues and offer each support if living with HIV & AIDS
- ensure that being healthy is taken seriously in their enterprises. This should incorporate good nutrition, exercise and hygiene
- have a sound HIV & AIDS policy to guide their enterprises.
Hi All,
My advice to Youth entrepreneurs would be that they should develop an HIV/AIDS workplace programme. The Programme should focus on creating awareness, through the use of Information Education Communication materials (IEC), and other awareness creation strategies. The programme should also incorporate Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) services or at least it should provide information on available VCT centres in the locality. It should also provide information on available support in the locality for those who may test positive.
The youth entrepreneurs can also seek for collaboration and support from NGOs, government institutions, and development partners to assist with their workplace programmes, in cases where they lack the capacity and resources to design and implement an HIV/AIDS workplace programme.
1. Should discussions on HIV/AIDS be incorporated into the course? Why?
Yes, discussions on HIV/AIDS should be incorporated into the course
-They have to understand the effects of HIV/AIDS in their business, and develop strategies that address the challenges and effects that are caused by HIV /AIDS example like HIV awareness workshops for his/her employees. It will ensure that employees get adequate information on HIV/AIDS prevention and care from the workplace, where they spend a greater amount of their time daily. It will also safeguard businesses from low productivity which may result from high morbidity and mortality due to HIV/AIDS -Young people are the most vulnerable group to HIV/AIDS, because this is the group which more sexual active, this is the group through which some are looking for partners to marry, some are learning new and more things are about sexuality, one thing that I have realized is that people who are in business with money turn to be engaged in more sexual activities get to have more multi-concurrent partners due to the power of the money they have ,hence exposing themselves to high rates of catching up the HIV virus ,therefore they need to know more about HIV /AIDS and fact that it affects everyone , and there is no human being who is resistant to HIV.
2. Make a presentation to them on the impacts of HIV/AIDS on Businesses, especially on a Small Business (youth enterprise) like the ones they intend to set up. <just give them a graphic picture of HOW HIV/AIDS effects the various aspects (or production elements) of their business.> • Understanding young people’s Situation of HIV/AIDS • Differences between HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections and other diseases • The difference between Sign and Symptoms of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection • Myths about HIV /AIDS • How one can get infected with HIV and how he/she can infect others. • HIV re-infection while one is HIV positive • Things that puts one at high risk of HIV infection • Different methods of HIV prevention mechanism • Voluntary Testing and counseling for HIV/AIDS • HIV/AIDS in the workplace • Care and Support for Affected Person
I agree with Sang, we require more information on HIV/AIDS in talking about it from a qualified people. Besides, we need to read more about it from published documents. But care should be taken by the youth in order not to contract HIV/AIDS.
Dear coogues, Iwill advise the youth to get the right information about HIV/AIDS , preferably , from a qualified medical personnel becuase information is power
Hi
Knowledge is power and information enriches the mind. Youths need to get properly trained in HIV/AIDS psycho-social counselling to have a better understanding of things. I would encourage youths to encourage HIV/AIDS sensitisation as part of their business i.e. for the employees and also for customers e.g. information leaflets in the office.
Definitely, HIV/AIDS may not affect an individual at the immediate point of contraction. But the information I have indicate that if one does not engage in proper life after its contraction, he or she would get weaker and weaker by the the time and day. It could affect the individuals energy level, time to visit the clinic, money to spend on drugs can affect the financial position of the business.
