You can educate your friends and family about the dangers of contracting HIV/AIDS.
AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, is a medical condition that results from infection with HIV, a virus that attacks the immune system's cells. There are approximately 33 million people living with AIDS nationwide. Although medicine is available to treat AIDS, there is no cure. HIV/AIDS is spread when an infected person's fluids are passed to another person. It can spread through sexual contact or sharing needles, for example. Having knowledge about the disease, its effects on the immune system and how the disease spreads is important for everyone to be aware of. You can educate people about the disease in a variety of ways.
Informational Booths
Informational booths can help spread AIDS awareness to your target population. You can set up booths at various public events and locations, including speeches by public officials, in front of grocery stores and at AIDS awareness events. Consider decorating your booth with informational pamphlets and fliers. You can also decorate a presentation board with information about AIDS and prevent getting HIV.
Lectures
Another way to educate the public about the dangers of AIDS is to give lectures. With permission, give your presentation where large numbers of people gather, such as concerts, churches, family reunions or after-school functions. You can include informational pamphlets to distribute with your lecture. If you decide to distribute material, consider including AIDS prevention resources, such as obtain free condoms and practice safe sex.
Attend a Speech by an AIDS Expert
If you are a part of an organization such as an alumni club, church group or student mentor program, consider taking your group to a speech given by AIDS experts. These experts will be able to explain the prevalence of the disease in particular communities, prevent contracting the disease, among other related topics. This can focus your group's attention on the issue.
Activate Social Networks
As more and more people sign up for social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, these websites are increasingly useful avenues for educating your friends and family. For example, you can create a group on Facebook and invite all of the people connected to your network. If you use Twitter, you can post a simple message encouraging people to protect themselves and get tested. Many young people are active on these networks, so you can more readily reach their demographic than others.
Perform a Skit
Skits are effective ways to dramatize the need for awareness of issues like AIDS. If you want to teach your target population the effects of the disease on the immune system, create a skit where one person is disease-free, another person has the disease but does not comply with antiretroviral drugs instructions, and a third person who has HIV and follows the drug regimen correctly. Have a narrator explain the difference between HIV and AIDS, and point out how the three actors are in different physical conditions with regard to the disease. For example, the person with AIDS who doesn't properly take medication would be in a weaker physical state than the person without the disease and the person who has the disease but properly takes medication.
Tags: immune system, your target population, about dangers, about disease, AIDS awareness, another person
