SCB offers 'HOPe' to students
By Lyna Mohamad

A Maktab Sains student walking the 'Bridge of Hope' during one of the activities.

An interactive educational programme, HOPe (HIV/AIDS Educational Programme), aims to educate and enhance public awareness on the importance of knowing the facts of HIV/AIDS, whilst eliminating any stigma or discrimination surrounding it.

Through proper educational measures, HOPe is being introduced as a community initiative with the goal of playing a fundamental role in the prevention of HIV/AIDS in Brunei Darussalam.

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), rolled out their first HOPe to students of Duli Pengiran Al-Muhtadee Billah College at the Civil Service Institute. Each HOPe session aims to train a minimum of 40 students from higher educational institutions. It was recently introduced to the Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College students.

The programme informs participants on how HIV/AIDS spreads and how it can be prevented as well as how to care and support for those infected with and affected by the disease.

"The programme will hopefully inspire participants to become 'ambassadors' in the fight against HIV/AIDS, who will in turn convey and bring forward the importance of knowing the facts on HIV/AIDS to their friends and relatives," a press release from SCB stated.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and supported by the Ministry of Health and Brunei Darussalam AIDS council, the pilot programme includes educating 700 students along with 100 teachers as well as scholarship students who will be departing for studies overseas, before the World AIDS Day on December 1.

SCB Head of Human Resources and Corporate Affairs Division commented that the bank's commitment to the community is to continue to endeavour the journey to take a stand in the fight against HIV/AIDS, adding that young people cannot protect themselves from HIV/AIDS if they don't know the facts.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin