With the use of technology and social media, video streaming and conferencing, bringing people together from across nations and cultures has never been more efficient and easier. All you need to do is take a look at what today's story contributor, Philip Darko, the Executive Director of World Partners for Development has done with his international not-for-profit development organization and some college interns to connect people all across the globe. World Partners for Development (WPD) connects people through cross-cultural dialogue and promotes cultural understanding and global health information sharing. Their new program called the ‘Tele Public Health Education’ links people together across the globe via video conferencing to promote public health education and awareness programs.
HIV/AIDS have caused debilitating illnesses and premature deaths in people during their prime years of life and has devastated families and communities. Nearly 25 million people have died from AIDS over the past 27 years. Further, HIV/AIDS has complicated efforts to fight poverty, improve health, and promote development. Through unprecedented global attention and intervention efforts, the rate of new HIV infections has slowed and prevalence rate have leveled off globally and in many regions. Despite the progress seen in some countries and regions, the total number of people living with HIV continues to rise especially in Africa. There is therefore the need to increase the awareness through education to enhance lifestyle changes among the youth and the young adult community of the African immigrant community as well as those abroad.
Instead of travelling with much cost burdens and some risk to deliver public health education in countries across the globe, World Partners for Development is utilizing the public health knowledge and experience of their student interns including Olivia Annor, a BSN by profession and now offering her Masters in Public Health (MPH) at the George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, USA to educate parts of the world and some at-risk U.S. communities in public health issues that is affecting humanity. The program links African immigrant communities in Prince William County/ Stafford County in the U.S. especially the youth to their peers in other parts of the world to assess the population’s knowledge on HIV/AIDS, explores their perception on the transmission of HIV/AIDS and their role in preventing its transmission. With the availability of computer training centers and internet cafes in many parts of the world, participants are able to join the program for free with joy and happiness which tends to improve the quality of their lives. Educational materials from our programs like, DVDs, CDs and printouts are also distributed among health organizations and schools for further health outreach programs.
You can always learn more about our programs at www.wpdprojects.org.
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