The Bank and other development organizations are trying innovative ways to educate children and adults about HIV/AIDS. Some of these approaches include using the internet to connect kids from different countries to share their knowledge and experiences to fight AIDS.

One program is the World Bank Institute's ICT for Education Program that has been working with students and teachers in Africa to promote HIV/AIDS education and prevention.

"This program has expanded and is focusing on AIDS orphans and improving their livelihood skills," explains Anthony Bloom of the World Bank Institute who runs the program.

The program helps orphans learn livelihood skills so they can support themselves in a way that doesn't involve engaging in risky behavior. By doing this, the program hopes to lower the rates of HIV/AIDS among teens and young people, explains Bloom.

Livelihood skills means looking for ways these disadvantaged kids can take care of themselves and support themselves without endangering their lives even more. For example, this could mean learning some skills so they can find a job that isn't dangerous to their health.

Also, many governments in Africa are using technology and computers to reach out to kids and educate them about HIV/AIDS and other important health topics.

Governments are building computers labs in schools so that students can learn about technology and get the skills they will need to find a job in the future.

Government officials and teachers figured out that since young people like to play with computers anyway, computers can be a good way to teach kids about other issues as well, according to Bloom.

For example, in Uganda, there is a new online counseling program for kids. Selected students get educated about reproductive health and HIV/AIDS and serve as online counselors to their peers.

This approach works because students get the information they need in an anonymous way.

"This protects their confidentiality and ensures that no one else know what they asked. Whether you use a telephone or email or the internet, you can ask candid questions and get correct answer, and you don't have to fear that anybody will find out," explains Bloom.

Related Links
www.sesamestreet.com
www.unicef.org
www.aidskids.org
YouthNet