Trinidad and Tobago South Group SALT Experience

[Natasha Hosein-Ali]

HIV/AIDS COMPETENCE WORKSHOP
SOUTH GROUP – LA GLORIA COMMUNITY CENTER
THURSDAY 24TH NOVEMBER, 2011
TIME : 9AM – 3.30PM
SUMMARY
Participants – concern about the youths in their community and there is no HFLE in schools.
When will WAC or Min. Community Development be doing HIV testing, they are interested in being tested
Culture of our people, but keeping in mind that we need to understand the situations a person may be placed in.
What can cause lifestyle changes?
Facilitator – what are some of the things that we can take into a relationship, we mostly focus on what we can get out of the relationship.
Participants - Honesty, trust faithfulness, commitment understanding, education, compromise
Facilitator – gender roles. The importance of defining our rolls in the family
Facilitator – the importance of getting tested and the importance of confidentiality. The need to protect our children, and taking responsibility for our children, insure they are well informed with the right information.
Participants – shared her experience of someone telling her that they should not eat only one food but they can eat out (sex) this person however was in his seventies and about one month later was diagnosed HIV+ the person thought he can use bush medicine and he died.
Facilitator - what are we going to do to save our community?
Participant- said it is a parent’s responsibility to check in on their children in school.
Facilitators- sometimes negative things happens and we think that their can’t be anything positive about it, but we need to focus on the positives and change the negatives into positives. Make your stumbling blocks your stepping stones.

ARE WE HUMAN
Participants comments – all 24 participants answered reasons given were I can think and make my own decisions, I breathe and grow and have a human body, I have feelings, I understand that there is a high being than myself,



HOPES AND CONCERNS
Comments from participants –
HOPES CONCERNS
-Someday people will understand and appreciate the goodness and small things in life.
-To be healthy.
-That one day the youths and the elders could work as one in the community.
-To achieve my degree.
-That we have a better country.
-Everybody come together and live as one in unity whereby there would be no prejudice and discrimination.
-Whereby everyone would be each other’s keeper and help to motivate and not demotivate them.
-To further my education to further impart knowledge to my students as a prospective teacher.
-I hope I live a long and meaningful life with my family
-I hope that the mindset of people in society as in all areas if social issues e.g. HIV/AIDS, Abuse.
-To become a very successful individual in life and achieve all my goals.
-To live in a safe and peaceful environment.
-Live a safe and healthy life.
-Achieve my goals.
-Fulfill all my duties that I am required to do in life.
-A cure is found for HIV, that I achieve all my goals that I have set out.
-I hope to make my parents proud.
-The country at large will try to educate themselves currently and spirituality.
-Less violence in the country. Healthier nation financially.
-I hope for a good life.
-I will achieve what I want in life and everyone can live together as one.
-To change the lives of many people through the word of God by counseling and spending time with the ones who need the attention the most. -Older heads should give younger persons a hearing.
-The high rise in STI’s and STD’s.
-To live long.
-The way things are happening in society that people wouldn’t get to live life to the fullest.
-That my disabilities will prevent me from getting the job I want.
-Not getting a permanent job singe most are contracts.
-Health, finance and family and friends.
-That it may take some time before I actually start my career as a teacher and by that time I will be demotivated.
-That there are so many young people having children and they themselves do not know how to take care of themselves.
-Parents should not view HIV/AIDS, sex as taboo and discuss it with their children.
-Health keeping fit eating healthy etc.
-Health – e.g. my weight
-Doing what is right.
-The future generations those living with HIV/AIDS and what I can do.
-The youths of today are going astray with crime and diseases and drugs.
-Unity effective parenting better communication better interpersonal skills.
-About the needy children and what we can do to help them.
-My concern is that I may not be able to organize myself well enough to accommodate or make myself available for this sort of serious commitment.









DREAM BUILDING
Group one
Sports, outdoor classes, religion, outdoor cook, togetherness of the community and adult supervision.
Group two
Unity
Play park – recreation for children etc.
Elderly/young people – communication.
Crime free – support and look out for one another.
Unity, communication, intergenerational gap, crime free, recreation and religious activities.
Group three
Our ideal community aka Paradise Isle
It represents - a natural, nature green setting.
Most people like being near water and water signifiers purity.
The person signifies togetherness, harmony, sharing and relaxation.
We still incorporated cars in our dream to maintain some modern aspect even though we prefer less.
All aspects of the environment birds, fishes, trees, water and people represent God’s creation.
Group four
Within this community there are very diverse ethnic background and different religious groups, however with all the diversity there is a brotherhood and togetherness within the community, something which is needed in our communities through Trinidad and Tobago.
Our ideal community is also very eco-friendly, safe as well as very clearly where everyone lives in peace and harmony.
Community dream
People are the center and religion is very diverse and accepted within this community. However, though there is diversity, here exists togetherness, love and brotherhood within the community.
All other institutions are there to help enhance and harness peace, safety, education, relaxation, worship and love.
We stick by our anthem when we say “Every creed and race finds an equal place and may God bless our ideal and one day to be community.

[Marlou]

Great to read about CLCP starting to spread in T&T! Look forward to reading more in the coming months when those great communities act to achieve their beautiful dreams. Thanks! Marlou

[Michael Mc Garrell]

Thank you for sharing Natasha, very detailed. how did you feel doing these excercises? were you alone? 

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Thanks for this report Natasha. Posted perfectly:-) Would you like to share more about how did you facilitate the exercise 'Are we human'? Warm greetings!

[Dr. E. Mohamed Rafique]

Hi Natasha,

Nice to see the seeds that we planted in July beginning to sprout. There is joy to know that CLCP is taking root in all those who attended the first T&T Workshop and in turn each one is spreading it to communities in T&T. It is impossible to do better!

Best wishes,