At the familiarisation meeting two weeks ago at GIHA's office in Alberttown, 15 volunteers from Georgetown, the East Coast and East Bank and West Coast of Demerara, ranging in age from 18 to 62, were told by GIHA president Ryhaan Shah that the programme will take a holistic approach. She said that in their presentations to communities, they will be stressing the importance of positive attitudes, religious values, moral conduct, and healthy diet and exercise as ways of ensuring the physical and spiritual well-being and lessening the risk of infection. "We will not be telling people to 'wrap it up' so as to make promiscuous behaviour safe," she told the volunteers, according to a news release from GIHA.

Training for the GIHA/Lifeline Counselling Services Healthy Lifestyle Programme will be held on January 8,9,15,16,22 and 23 from 5 pm to 7 pm. Anyone wishing to join the training programme can call 223-6385. The training is free of cost.

And Director of LCS, Jimmy Bhojedat told the volunteers that the training will equip them with the information to educate people about the risks involved and to help them make the right choices. "It takes only one slip-up to open yourself to the danger of infection.

The education process is about helping people understand the risks and helping them to make the right choices," he said.

While the initial training will concentrate on the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the Healthy Lifestyle Programme will be extended to deal with alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and the high incidence of suicides in the Indian community, Shah added.