HIV & AIDS awareness program at Bahai School Tadong

The Red Fest – Getting to Zero, bringing attitudinal changes
Sikkim/Gangtok: “Getting to Zero” – Zero new HIV cases, Zero discrimination, Zero HIV related deaths, the theme of World AIDS Day 2011, was highlighted to the students of Baha’i School, Tadong, as a part of ‘Positive Interventions’, the school level engagement program to bring about awareness about HIV & AIDS amongst youngsters in the State.
‘Positive interventions’, a school level intervention program from the Sikkim State AIDS Control Society (SSACS) looked at driving home the message of awareness and attitudinal change that youngsters should have in their support to issues revolving around HIV & AIDS, and sensibility towards People Living with HIV & AIDS. The fun filled activity based engagement had “Positive Quiz”, “Positive Minute” and “Positive Impressions” as a part of the message delivery. 
  Emphasizing on the message that there are only and only four ways in which HIV can be transmitted – viz. Sexual intercourse with infected partner, infected needles, infected mother to child and infected blood transfusion, the program dispelled some myths and misconceptions about HIV & AIDS to the students.
Talking about the program, the Principal of Baha’i School, Ms Rupa Sharma said “The Red Fest programme was well organized, and well-coordinated. The program is educative, informative and interesting. Our students thoroughly enjoyed and learnt many things about HIV & AIDS in regard to do’s and don’ts.”
Apart from ‘Positive Intervention’  at schools and colleges, the Red Fest will organize a music band competition titled ‘ Red Ribbon Super Band’ ,and 5-a-side football tournaments titled ‘Red Five’, apart from road shows and other fun-filled activities. The registrations for both the contests will begin from 25^th November, 2011 in all the four Districts. The entry for these competitions is free of cost. The Red Fest is 3-month long campaign designed by Sikkim State AIDS Control Society to reach out to the youth of Sikkim, with comprehensive information on HIV & AIDS through various media of entertainment.