Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2001. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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UN Integrated Regional Information Networks - September 28, 2001
The secretary-general of the Lesotho Red Cross Society, Ntharetso Lieta, told PlusNews on Friday that the society was presently conducting a baseline survey to determine the needs of orphans in the area, as the project would also benefit orphans affected by HIV/AIDS. The society has already received US $320,000 from the Norwegian Red Cross.
The money will cover both prevention and care projects and is intended to span a period of five years. Lieta said that the American Red Cross had expressed interest in partnering the project and the society would seek to form partnerships with other non-governmental organisations dealing with HIV/AIDS and government-sponsored initiatives in the fight against the pandemic. She said the group's focus would not be on building an orphanage but rather on working with foster parents, relatives of orphans and community based organisations. This would help in integrating the orphans into the community and protect them from further stigmatisation.
The prevention phase of the project targets young pupils in primary schools. Its aim is to provide the young people with education and prepare them for the challenges of adolescence. The society is also targeting parents and teachers to break the silence on sexual education by carrying out an education programme to sensitise teachers and parents on the importance of frankness and freedom when discussing sex. "We wanted to encourage parents to talk to their children about sexuality, even though our culture considers this a taboo subject," Lieta said.
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