From http://www.anglicanaids.org.za/newsarticle.asp?id=64

The fieldworkers from the Diocese of False Bay had their first Anglican Students’ Federation (ASF) Peer Educator’s training. The training was held at Oatlands Village in Simons town near Cape Town during the weekend of 3-5th April 2009.

The Siyafundisa Programme Officer - Craig Reuben Diocese of False Bay Siyafundisa Field workers; Siyabonga Mngxali & Johathan Ho’Bosch. Eighteen (18) students from Cape Peninsula University of Technology (Bellville and Cape Town Campuses) and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) were trained as Peer educators. This training is the first of many to follow in other campuses.

The ASF has decided to take their response to HIV & AIDS seriously and practically forward and now want to be “active agents of healthy life styles” on campuses teaching and influencing other peers towards good behavior. This programme is a follow-up on a resolution taken at the ASF Annual conference in Bloemfontein in July 2008 where they endorsed the support of the HIV & AIDS Ministry in the Province of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.

The young people from CPUT eagerly want to make a difference in the lives of their peers and the training helped them understand and acknowledge that they have the ability to do this. At the end of the training programme the participants issued a joint statement of affirmation of the programme’s positive contribution in the fight against the pandemic through its approach on behavior change.

“Over the weekend of the 3rd-5th of April 2009 we as CPUT both Bellville & Cape Town Campuses and UWC were privileged to have participated in the Siyafundisa Peer Education Workshop. The main objective was to learn more about factors that are affecting our youth such as peer pressure what it can lead to and what steps to follow in decision making. The events were regarded as a highlight in our lives as it reflected on our daily lives and challenges that we are faced with. I guess we all agree that the outcome that was aimed at the start of the event was regarded as a success and we all acknowledged the purpose of us being at the workshop and the help that we can offer to others”.

Compiled by: Veronica Schwaartz (CPUT Bellvile Campus) Siyabonga Mngxali & Jonathan Hobosch (Siyafundisa Field workers – False Bay Diocese)