Press Release

PEACE CORPS AND ANGLICAN CHURCH COLLABORATE ON HIV/AIDS PREVENTION TRAINING

February 28, 2007

Manzini – The United States Peace Corps launched a HIV/AIDS prevention-training project on February 28, 2007 at the Tums George Hotel.   

Peace Corps has entered into a partnership with the Anglican Church to conduct this HIV/AIDS prevention training.  The project will be supported through the United States Government’s President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).  The main objective of the project is the prevention of new HIV/AIDS infections through training and education.

The launch was combined with a one-day meeting held with the Anglican Bishop, priests and some lay parishioners designated by the priests. The aim of the first phase of training is to fully explain the program to the priests, train them in HIV/AIDS prevention, introduce them to Peace Corps Volunteers, and through the Volunteers, pave a way forward to subsequent trainings at different parishes.

The second phase will involve conducting HIV/AIDS prevention trainings in Anglican parishes throughout the country with the assistance of Anglican Church HIV/AIDS officers.  The Peace Corps office in Mbabane will work with Peace Corps Volunteers to conduct these trainings in the parishes around the communities in which the Volunteers serve.