A one-day trainers’ training workshop in HIV/AIDS education and counseling was held Saturday, December 16, 2006 in Philadelphia, courtesy of AYAUSA in collaboration with the Philadelphia Health Federation.

The skill-building workshop was in response to a request by AYAUSA to the Health Federation, which offers a variety of training, consultation and technical assistance services to care providers, community-based organizations and other public and private institutions.

Danielle M. Parks, MPH, Program Director of the Women's Anonymous Test Site of the Health Federation of Philadelphia conducted the interactive session workshop at the edifice of the African Islamic Community Center in Philadelphia.

Danielle stressed the importance of HIV/AIDS education, prevention and counseling in the African community and challenged AYAUSA to organize more workshops to alert youth as well as adults in those communities on the impact AIDS or HIV could have on their lives if they are infected.

Those attending the workshop were AYAUSA officials, including its President Talahata Sheriff, Secretary General Famod Konneh, and Board Member Mohamed Kromah. Others include Abu Sackor, Sidiki Trawally, Massa Kromah and Advisor Randolph Jabateh.

Danielle admonished the volunteers to ensure that their work should model a change in youth’s attitude towards their sexual habits, which in most cases are carried out in unsafe manners. She urged AYAUSA to serve as a vehicle for building capacity, help disseminate the information and guidelines to the young people as well adults in the fight against the deadly killer disease.

“There’s no cure for HIV/AIDS, period. All people should do is engage in safe sex by using the condoms. This way, we will be able to protect ourselves from getting infected with the virus,” Danielle strongly advised.

The training workshop provided notes on HIV/AIDS counseling services which include enhanced prevention counseling, free and anonymous HIV testing and counseling services, family planning counseling including pregnancy testing, syphilis testing, referral services, outreach and education workshops skills and training, as well as distribution of safer sex materials.

Meanwhile, AYAUSA’s President Talahata Sheriff thanked the Health Federation for responding to his organization’s call. He said AYAUSA will utilize the resource materials provided by Danielle to organize a much bigger workshop that will bring together African youth from the communities.

Danielle also pledged to work closely with AYAUSA in hosting future workshops to expand on the HIV/AIDS counseling and education.