Twelve young adults are now better equipped to address stigma related to HIV and AIDS in Tobago.
They recently graduated as HIV peer educators after participating in the Division of Health’s Peer Education Training in the lead-up to the commemoration of World AIDS Day 2025.
The three-day programme focused on topics such as Foundations of Sexual and Reproductive Health, HIV Literacy – Then and Now, Stigma Reduction and Cultural Taboos, and Communication and Empathy Skills, in keeping with the UNAIDS theme, “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response.”
Secretary of Health Dr. Faith Brebnor noted that the commemoration of World AIDS Day is important to continue to shed light on the matter.
“We need to continually remember we are still dealing with HIV and AIDS in Trinidad and Tobago. This is an opportunity for us to continue the discussion. This is an opportunity to remind the population that we have these STIs that are running around. If we are not safe, we will not be healthy.”
Dr. Brebnor said she was pleased that young persons were targeted to engage in the programme.
“You need people who are similar to design what the message should be and to share those messages to their counterparts, and that is in essence what peer training is. So having these individuals who are part of these technical vocational schools be the ones to get the correct information is really a good step to ensure that they pass that information on to the people who they are the closest with.”
During the graduation, participants delivered a peer educator pitch presentation about a youth-driven initiative aligned with the 2025 World AIDS Day theme.
One participant, Tereek Cupid, said the information shared would assist him in responding to other topics considered taboo in Tobago.
“I hope that it serves to actually better educate the people, to get rid of the old people stigma that we got from our parents, grandparents. I hope that we can live a truer life with this knowledge and use this as a template to go forward for other problems that we may have.”
The peer educators now have the responsibility to support informed conversations about HIV and wellness within their schools and youth groups, with a view to increasing HIV literacy in Tobago.