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Sexual Health Exchange, 1997 - no. 4 Chile When parents of children living with HIV in Chile register their sons and daughters for pre-school and primary school, a large number - about 65% - do not inform the school authorities of their children's infection. The reason lies in the fact that they expect discriminatory actions to occur. In the past, cases have been publicized in which other parents found out that a seropositive child was in school; they reacted quite negatively, arousing fear and anxiety among other parents as well. The usual outcome was demands that the child be expelled from school. When the Faculty of Education at the Blas Cañas Catholic University became aware of this in 1992, they began a project to address this by educating teachers about HIV/AIDS and the special needs of children living with the virus. The Interdisciplinary Project on Children and HIV/AIDS works together with the Education Faculties of universities in the cities with the highest HIV prevalency rates: Antofagasta, Concepción, Valparaíso and Santiago.
(Illustration: brochure cover) Positively Women, an organization in the United Kingdom for women living with HIV/AIDS, also informs mothers about talking with school staff concerning the needs of their children The project works along two lines. Community-based educational sessions aim to create a supportive environment for persons living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs). Professionals from different disciplines inform community members about basic facts related to HIV/AIDS (e.g., how it is and is not transmitted); doubts and fears are discussed. The aim is to overcome intolerance, stigmatization and discrimination by promoting acceptance and solidarity. This is seen as part of a long-term strategy that can lead to new initiatives at both the pre-school and primary school levels. The second project component centres on teacher training regarding the integration of children living with HIV/AIDS into the school system. A teacher from the target school is included in the team from the start, as this permits easier entry into the school and promotes the participation of other teachers. CAPVIH members give testimonies designed to "demystify" teachers' misconceptions; their presentations also focus on how they themselves are participating in the social life of the community. The curriculum for teachers is implemented in a flexible manner. Adjustments are made to address issues that are felt to be particularly relevant in each school. Sufficient time is always given to allow the teachers to express their emotions about the issues; this is done within a context of acceptance but also respect for the adults and children concerned. As the project has operated without any donor funding, activities are carried out on a cost-sharing basis. Schools requesting training cover part of the costs; the trainees pay a fee and the project itself takes care of the remaining costs. The professionals are not paid; this has unfortunately led to staff turnover and the loss of skilled and experienced facilitators. The project is now being followed up by a two-year Programme of Integral Attention for Seropositive Children. Responsibility for the planning, implementation and evaluation lies with the Pre-school Education Department of Blas Cañas Catholic University and CAPVIH. University students will carry out their practice periods in pre-school centres of Santiago as part of the Programme. An intended outcome is the preparation of a manual and video recounting the experiences and lessons learned, which will be presented publicly on World AIDS Day. A national meeting on children, schooling and HIV/AIDS is also planned. Miguel Hahn Ibañez, CAPVIH/Blas Cañas Catholic University, c/o San Antonio 510, Of. 702, Santiago, Chile; Tel. 56-2-638-6762; Fax: 56-2-633-6966 |
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Initially, the team mainly comprised teachers but in time expanded to include physicians, psychologists and social workers. Collaboration with the Chilean HIV Association (CAPVIH) has allowed parents and relatives of the affected children to be involved in formulating the project's objectives and workplan. Their input also provides important information on prevalent myths and prejudices encountered in the educational system so that these can be incorporated into the curriculum for teachers.
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