For the second time “Real World, Real People” NGO initiated a summer camp for children living with HIV in Armenia, which was attended by women living with HIV and their children aged 4 to 11 years old. It was held from July 19 to 21.
The organizers provided activities not only for children, but also for their mothers. During the camp, self-help groups were organized, during which experienced mothers of children living with HIV shared their experiences and supported mothers of newly diagnosed children. The peer support group focused on age-specific issues related to disclosure, sharing experiences about disclosure in health facilities and with partners, how to utilize professional support when children’s own potential is not met in disclosure, and the importance of knowing one’s own rights.
But the main focus was still on children. Various games and teamwork were organized to promote unity and team thinking․ In addition, the organizers prepared an informational component of the camp in the form of a fairy tale. While playing, children learned about the immune system, how HIV affects the body and how ARVs help the body to fight it.
One of the main goals of the fairy tale was to explain to children the importance of HIV treatment so that they could take ARV drugs on their own and not resist treatment. Taking into account the peculiarities of the age group, RMRL specialists chose as a format for the performance the one in which NGO․ staff members were involved as actors․
The children together with their parents also watched the cartoon “Luka” about friendship, self-acceptance, parent-child relationships, understanding each other, encouragement, discrimination and overcoming it. It also talked about how important it is for a parent to believe in the strength of a child.
The summer camp was supported by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS