Ms Veneman visited Yinchuan No.4 Kindergarten, Minle Mosque and Language Training Centre in YinchuanMs Veneman visited Yinchuan No.4 Kindergarten serving as a Resource Center for the UNICEF-assisted Early Childhood Development project. This included an outreach programme for parents who can therely learn about parenting skills and how best to care for their very young children.
Children attending the center performed a cultural show for the Executive Director's visit
26 August (afternoon).Ms Veneman visited the Minle mosque and language training centre in Yinchuan, which is participating in UNICEF-China's faith-based response to HIV/AIDS. Inside the mosque, a religious leader gave a 15-minute lecture on HIV/AIDS to the congregation which included girl students from the Mosque's language training centre. The "Yimamu" (religious leader) urged his listeners not to discriminate against the HIV/AIDS infected and emphasized the support which Islam provided to behaviours which could help turn back the spread of the epidemic.
The UNICEF Executive Director then spoke to the congregation about the importance of young people in particular learning how HIV/AIDS is spread and then acting upon this learning. Referring to her recent visit to Africa where she had met with HIV/AIDS infected and affected people, she spoke of how the lack of education was part of the reason why the epidemic had spread so widely and continued to spread. Girl students attending the Mosque's language training centre were then given an opportunity to speak of the importance of the training they had received.
Later in the afternoon, Ms Veneman visited a mixed Life Skills class for 13-15 year olds attending a Yinchuan high school. She sat in on a class discussing in two groups strategies for saying no to invitations to visit unhealthy places where they might be exposed to risks including introduction to drugs.The students then acted out a role-play based on the "say no" strategies they had developed. Responding to the students in a "Q-and-A",Ms Veneman spoke of countries in Africa where life expectancy had been reduced from the mid-60's to the under-30's due to HIV/AIDS. She told the students and teachers how UNICEF was both pleased and proud to be a partner with the school and stressed the importance of talking with others about they had learned. Responding to a question about goodwill ambassadors, Ms Veneman emphasized the importance of the role they played in getting the message out. Young people also had a key role to play in this work and she told the students about the "HIV/AIDS and children" initiative UNICEF was launching globally in the Fall. Her visit to the high school Life Skills class closed with a visit to an art exhibition prepared by the students who also performed a cultural show for their visiting guests.
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