A workshop on behaviour change targeting officials from various Lakes state ministries achieved positive results with participants making concrete resolutions.
The five-day training that concluded yesterday in Rumbek was an initiative in HIV and AIDS awareness, proposing personal behaviour change to approach challenges like the killing virus.Angelina Inhiem Akech, 23, serves at the Ministry of Finance. She decided to avoid getting into a polygamous marriage.
Ms. Akech told Good News Radio that she will discuss and make things clear with the man intending to take her hand to agree that she will be the only wife and that he will be the only husband.
Dominic Adut Majok, 25, with one wife, working at the Ministry of Social Development, said that he will stick to his wife.
Mr. Majok added that he would avoid alcoholism which he described as “risky” and leading to loss of self control and to behaviours of risk like sex outside marriage.
David Deng Yak, the Director of HIV and AIDS in Lakes State, also took part in the workshop.
Mr. Yak said he was in a monogamous situation and he would remain in it whatever the amount of money he might get because polygamy increased the spread of HIV and AIDS.
He added that he would rather help the poor and invest his money in projects to help the community rather than to get new wives.
Hilda Timmerman, the Manager of HIV and AIDs program for Across, said a combined effort by different organizations to bring about HIV and AIDS awareness will help ensure a wider outreach.
Ms. Timmerman added that she was already in touch with different organizations to use radio and the local language to spread awareness messages.
Personal behaviour change is widely viewed as the best way to approach the challenge of HIV and AIDS.