Youth group sessions on hygiene and staying safe from HIV
An HIV testing provider talked with schoolgirls and young mothers about personal hygiene and the behaviours that can lead to HIV.
A support group brings together people facing common issues to share what is troubling them. By sharing experiences, members give each other support, encouragement and comfort, and receive the same in return.
At some sessions, an HIV testing provider talked with the girls about the importance of hygiene and counselled them on behaviours that can lead to HIV infection or transmission. Many diseases can be prevented or controlled through good personal hygiene, including regularly washing the body and hair with soap and water.
What the groups give the girls
At each visit, schoolgirls and young mothers gather to talk through what is troubling them. This helps them:
- feel less lonely, isolated and judged
- reduce distress, depression, anxiety and fatigue
- talk openly and honestly about their feelings
- cope better with challenges
- stay motivated to manage long-term conditions and stick to treatment
