HIV & AIDS Education

Peer Education
Since March 2003 the CIRC has joined other local Red Cross Societies and Branches in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean by launching the Together We Can HIV& AIDS Peer Education Programme.

Developed by the Jamaican and American Red Cross Societies in conjunction with the World Health Organization, TWC is a programme that empowers young people with the correct information about HIV/AIDS and gives them the responsibility to pass that information on to their peers. Young persons between the ages of 13 and 18 undergo an intensive three-day training where they get to discuss not only the basics of HIV/AIDS transmission, but also testing, negotiation skills, stigma and discrimination, and condom use.

The programme manual has been translated in all of the region's languages and has been recognized by the International Federation of the Red Cross as the standard Peer Education programme of the region. Adults between the ages of 19 and 35 are currently needed to be trained as Instructor Trainers and National Trainers to help train Peer Educators.

Visual Campaigns

In 2003 the CIRC created the "Nobody but ourselves can expand our minds' poster, using local persons to bring home the message of the importance of fighting stigma and discrimination."  Two years later, in 2005, it adopted the Federation's "Nobody has the truth written on their. Protect Yourself. Wear a Condom campaign." The CIRC was the first of all National Societies and Overseas Branches in the Caribbean to launch the campaign. Having received support from such partners as the Cayman Islands Government, Digicel, and Horizon Magazine, the CIRC set the tone for how the running of the campaign in the Caribbean. In 2007, with enthusiastic support from Peer Educators and other volunteers involved in the programme, the CIRC launched its "HIV+" until proven negative. Get tested t-shirts. The shirts were worn by over 100 volunteers on December 1, 2007 and raised some eyebrows as well as awareness of not only HIV and AIDS in the Cayman Islands, but the need for testing.
2009 Save Sex Campaign

Community, Corporate and Volunteer Awareness Sessions

All CIRC volunteers are required the take the HIV & AIDS Awareness session, held quarterly every year.  The main idea behind these sessions is to: 1- inform the volunteers on the basics of HIV and AIDS, including the way the virus works, how transmission occurs, how it can be avoided, the importance of testing, and the issues of stigma and discrimination, 2- ensure that the volunteers understand the reason why the Red Cross Movement has taken on this issue, 3- explain the particular vulnerability that comes with being HIV positive, or living with AIDS, in our community, the Caribbean and the world, and 4- to highlight the fact that as volunteers they will likely come into contact with persons living with and affected by HIV and AIDS, they may not know this and therefore need to mindful of their own attitudes and behaviours so as to ensure that the service they provide is not compromised.

Community and corporate awareness sessions are also offered for those persons who want to learn more about HIV and AIDS.  These meetings are targeted at specific audiences but cover the main points as listed above.  Awareness sessions can be held both at the Red Cross as well as community halls and business places.  Persons interested in scheduling such an awareness session should contact the Programmes Manager directly at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it