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December 01, 2002
World AIDS Day Celebration
The University Of Education, Winneba (UEW),
Ghana
By Kafui Amenu Prebbie
Country Director, Ghana
AIDS Relief Foundation
The programme took place on the campus of The University
Of Education, Winneba (UEW). The theme for the day
was "HIV/AIDS IS REAL, PLAY IT SAFE". The aim for
the celebration as well as choice of place was to
create an awareness of the high prevalence rate resulting
in the rapid increase of the AIDS infected and affected,
yet little knowledge of it to the entire university
community and its environs. Line up of activities
included a dawn broadcast, a sporting activity and
a quiz to climax it.
As early as 5:45am, there was a dialogue in English
and the local dialect on the topic 'HIV/AIDS: Alarming
Statistics' on the University's radio station, Radio
Windy Bay. This centered on global statistics on AIDS
and the kind of questions that are often asked. For
example, "Why do we still preach AIDS when there are
better things to talk about? Why use condom when it
takes away the pleasure of sex? and the like. This
dialogue lasted about 20 minutes.
At about 2:30pm, there was a football match at the
sports field at the northern campus of the University.
The playing teams were from The Nurses' Training School,
Winneba and the University. The students were grouped
according to sex. The curtain raiser was a very exciting
match between the females of Nurses Training and ladies
from Simpa Hall of the University, which lasted 20minutes,
for each half. The males had 30minutes of play in
each half. During the breaks in the matches, Mr. Kafui
A Prebbie, the Country Director and Mrs. Josephine
Osei-Agyekum, a lecturer and resource person from
the Home Economics Department of the University, educated
the people gathered on AIDS. The fun games which was
aimed at promoting socialization, fostering partnerships
for addressing AIDS issues, was also to create a platform
to educate the general public on the need for behavioural
change whiles show casing AIDS Relief Foundation's
programmes. All sporting activities ended at about
5:30pm to make way for the quiz. However the players
and officials were refreshed for the good work done.
The programme took of at the Southern assembly hall
of the University almost immediately. An opening prayer
was said by Madam Korley, a third year Special Education
student to initiate evening line up. The purpose of
the gathering was declared by the Master of Ceremony,
Miss Opokua Ampadu-Sackey, a third year English student.
The Country Director then gave a short welcome address
and read a letter from the Founder and International
Director of AIDS Relief Foundation, USA.
The quiz mistress, Mrs. Josephine Osei-Agyekum was
introduced after five men and a woman had taken their
seats as contestants for the quiz. The rules of the
game were spelt out clearly and the game began.
After a keen and lively contest in the first two
rounds, there was a break in the programme to make
way for the national news at 6pm. This was because
the audience wanted to know what was going on elsewhere
locally and internationally. The programme continued
shortly afterwards with the third and fourth rounds.
At the end of the final round, and before the prizes
were given, Mr. Bridge Adams, the Youth Director of
African Americans Against AIDS in Africa (a5coalition),
-a Non Governmental Organisation- who was the special
guest at the programme, gave a short address.
At the end of the day Mr. Vincent Mensah, a student
of the University emerged winner. He took home as
his price �50,000, a CD Rom on HIV/AIDS and a book.
The next three had a book, some money and a CD each.
The National Union Of Ghana Students' Women's Commissioner,
UEW helped the Country Director in the presentation
of prizes. The resource person, who was the quiz mistress,
addressed the gathering after this. There was a lot
of interaction here as the audience had a lot of questions
to ask. In all about a hundred people witnessed the
show and it was aired live on Radio Windy Bay.
The programme ended at exactly 8:10pm after Miss
Opokua Ampadu-Sackey had given the closing prayer.
All present were refreshed and there was more interaction
between the audience, the guest and the resource person.
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