illuminAid’s Partnership with UNICEF Equatorial Guinea - Article Translations

Translation of the article by the Royal newspaper of Equatorial Guinea (Revista Real Equatorial Guinea) by Sinforosa Nkene Angüe Esodja. 

Section: (Society)

Title: “The government and UNICEF form a Malabo youth to prevent HIV with messages created by themselves.”

Subheader: Over four days, teenagers and Equatorial Guinean youth members participated in an intensive capacity-building program, where they learned to create audiovisual products to raise awareness in their communities on HIV prevention and other social issues.

In a dual initiative between UNICEF, the organization IlluminAid, and the Minister of Health and Interior, a group of young people from Malabo was capacitated to reproduce audiovisual messages focused on HIV prevention.

The workshop, held over four days of intensive work, concluded on Friday, July 4th, and it provided participants with digital communication and editing skills to create, record, and edit their material.

Testimonial: “It was short but intensive. We learned to record, edit, and work in a team using our ideas”, said an excited participant during the projection of the models in a moment that moved all assistants due to the creative and sensible portrayal of realities like HIV, mental health and social coexistence. 

The General Director of the Civil Society, Elias Mbana Mekina, praised the value of this type of space where the “youth leads, expresses and transforms”.

UNICEF representative Ana Maria Güenes highlighted that “when young people are given tools, they can generate a real change in their communities.” 

The activity concluded with the delivery of certificates that recognize participants as active agents of change, with the commitment to continue spreading prevention messages and education from “the voice of the youth.”

Translation of the article by Ochira News (Ochira Noticias) by Pedo Nolasco Ela Ondo Abegue. 

Section: (Health)

Title: “UNICEF capacitates young Equatorial Guinean people on the prevention and education of HIV in Malabo.”

Subheader: During the four days of intensive work, the young participants developed their audiovisual “products.” From ideation to final edition.

MALABO, 4 JUL - In a day filled with enthusiasm, creativity, and social compromise, UNICEF  performed an intensive capacity-building workshop for young Equatorial Guineans aimed at HIV prevention. The initiative was developed in collaboration with the organization IlluminAid, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Interior through the “Direction General Civil Society”, which had the capital of the country, Malabo, as the scenario.

The activity emphasized strengthening the capacities of teenagers and young people by providing them with communication and digital tools to address sensitive subjects, such as HIV prevention, mental health, coexistence, and promoting healthy behavior within their communities.

Testimonial: “We have already finished our sketches, but this is with no doubt one of the best ones we have made. The participants have demonstrated a unique energy, and what is most valuable is their compromise with their future and the communities that they represent.”, signaled the representative of the organization IlluminAid.

In 4 intensive days of work, the young participants developed their audiovisual products. From ideation to the final edition, they are completely of the process, accompanied by experts who guided without intervening in the ownership of the contents.

Testimonial: For me, the workshop has been perfect. It was short, yes, but intensive. We learned to work in a team, record, to edit… and we did it ourselves, with our ideas, with our voices,” expressed in an emotional tone by the young participants during the final presentation.

One of the most poignant moments of the event was the projection of videos created by the youths, which portrayed the realities that society faces concerning HIV and other social issues with realism, art, and sensitivity.

Testimonial: “You can reach where other formal campaigns often do not reach. That is why we need more 'spaces' like this one, where the youth leads, expresses, and transforms itself. You are the protagonists,” underlined Elias Mbana Mekina, Director General of “Civil Society” (Sociedad Civil).

The representative of UNICEF, Ana Maria Güenes, highlighted the transformational value of the proposal: “The art of the youth also educates. Not only do you learn in classrooms or clinics, but you are also educated in the stress, with stories and emotion. These workshops show us that when young people are given the appropriate tools, they can generate a real change.”

Valero Ondo Nguema, the health minister, expressed the firm government commitment to continue supporting initiatives that empower the youth and urge prevention through innovative and collective methods.

The day concluded with the issuance of certificates to all participants, who were recognized as active agents of change in their communities. However, like one of the youths expressed at the end of the ceremony: “This certificate is not final, but rather the beginning of a path to keep learning, communicating, and transforming.”