In 1993, UNICEF and Myanmar Red Cross Society launched an innovative approach aimed at preventing the further spread of HIV/AIDS in Myanmar through the promotion of reproductive health knowledge. One of the activities undertaken was conducting the Life skills trainings for youth aged between 15 to 24, by mobilizing Red Cross Volunteers. MRCS Core trainers trained 1041 young Red Cross volunteers as township facilitators from 105 townships. The trained townships facilitators returned to their townships and conducted Training of Youth (ToT) sessions in both urban and rural areas, a total of 47506 young people participated in the training between 1994 and 2007.

Components and Activities

Objective
- Young people aged 15-24 years, especially vulnerable ones, to adopt safer behaviors and practices and to sustain them in order to prevent HIV infection through Peer Education and Life skills training program
- To create safer and supportive environment for community youth
- To increase community awareness on HIV/AIDS

Activities
- Conduct advocacy meeting
- Capacity building training
- Conduct training on Life skills development and HIV/AIDS prevention training
- Youth to youth peer education activities
- Youth Centre based activities (health talks, excursion trip, parent session, coordination meeting, PLHIV/PE experience sharing meeting, library services, indoor/outdoor games, VCCT service linkage with STD team …etc.,)
- Community Awareness activities (video show, art, sport, poster, quiz competition, health talk, World AIDS Day mini exhibition booth, etc..)

Beneficiaries
- Young people aged between 15 to 24, especially vulnerable ones, from urban and rural areas of project townships
- The community of the 8 selected townships

Project Timeline
- 1st May 2006 to 31st May 2007

Project Site/ Location
- Myintkyina ( Kachin State)
- Kawthaung(Tanintharyee Division)
- Lashio (Northern Shan State)
- Meiktila (Madalay Division)
- Mawlamyaing (Mon State)
- Myawaddy (Kayin State)
- Bago (Bago (East) Division)
- Pyay (Bago (West) Division)

Partner Agency
Funding
- UNICEF

Collaborative
- NAP, STD team