Penyinar:
BDAC youth division
Brunei Darussalam AIDS Council (BDAC)
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Helping BDAC inspiring experience (Excerpt from BT 26 Sept 2009)
Posted by Wandy
at 10:42 PM on September 26, 2009
|
Ready to help: BDAC volunteers during Hari Raya open house hosted by the council's Datin Hjh Edah Hj Md Noor. Picture: BT/Rachel Thien
BRUNEI-MUARA
Saturday, September 26, 2009VOLUNTEERS of the Brunei Darussalam AIDS Council (BDAC) say that joining the council has been inspiring and a good experience.
Ak Md Al-Muttaqibillah Pg Hj Hassan, 19, doing his second year at Universiti Brunei Darussalam in Biological Science, said that joining the council has taught him to be more positive.
"We see people who have been tested positive for AIDS, we give them hope and we get inspired," he said.
There are a lot of youths joining BDAC, he said adding that it has been a really good experience especially working with people of his own age.
"Each meeting or activity (by the council) boost our confidence. (And) you are inspired by conducting the activities and role models like Iswandy Ahmad, Vice-President of BDAC, who is continuously helping people," he said.
Dk Hanisah Pg Hj Bakar, 20, a scholarship student studying Psychology in Warwich University, said that she joined the council since she was 16 years old.
"It's been five years and I have learnt so much since then," she said.
"You learn to be more independent, more responsible and more active and reactive about things."
She said that last year she joined the B@ktif Competition to implement what she called a 'Happy' project with her teammates in all the country's four districts.
"The "Happy" project was to reach out to students in all districts on educating the importance of sexual education and AIDS awareness. We managed to reach 2,000 students," she said.
She pointed out that 'peer-to-peer' contact is one of the most effective ways to get the message across and urges for more people to join.
Spreading the messages can be made easier if they come from a friend, she added.
She added: "There have been a lot more students joining the AIDS council and I am very proud of what we have achieved together."
The volunteers were yesterday gathered at the residence of BDAC Datin Hjh Edah Hj Md Noor for Hari Raya open house. A Doa Selamat was also held in conjunction with the BDAC earning an ASEAN Youth Award.
According to Vice-president of BDAC , the award might be received at the end of October.
"We are still finalising the details so there is not much I can tell you yet," he informed The Brunei Times.
Currently, there are 50 members of the BDAC where most of the volunteers are also actively participating in activities overseas, said the vice-president. (SHR1)
The Brunei Times
Copyright © 2006-2009 Brunei Times Sdn Bhd. All Rights Reserved.
Source URL: http://www.bt.com.bn/en/home-news/2009/09/26/helping-bdac-inspiring-experience
Categories: Newspaper Excerpt
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About Penyinar
The Kelab Penyinar is the youth division of Brunei Darussalam AIDS Council. It was set up during the Brunei Darussalam AIDS Council first Annual General Meeting in 2001.
Its objectives are-
- To motivate the youth members & other youth to practice a healthy and positive way of living.
- To reach out to youth as many as possible on HIV/AIDS related matter for HIV & AIDS prevention.
- To spread awareness on HIV, AIDS & related issues, especially among youth in Brunei.
Currently, the Kelab Penyinar has more than 50 active members of age ranging from early teens to late 20's.
The members or "Penyinar" as they are affectionately known, meets frequently and manage or organise their own programmes and activities, ranging from a simple outing to national events like TheWorld AIDS Day. They are considered as the backbone of BDAC. They come from various institutions all over thecountry.
Penyinar is taken from the Malay word "sinar" which means to light up, to shine,to glow, to brighten up, to make clear, to shine and glow until it is visible. The threat of HIV/AIDS is often misunderstood . Penyinar is to bring this message and disseminate information as widely and clearly to eliminate stigma & discrimination and to bring hope to those infected and affected by HIV & AIDS.
Theclub has affiliation and work together with various government, private sectors, non-government organisation and media locally & regionally.
CommonwealthYouth Ambassadors for Positive Living (a project of Commonwealth YouthProgramme Asia Centre) in Kelab Penyinar is actively involved in HIV& AIDS awareness activities, voluntary work and youth work, locally and regionally.
Some of their known programmes are Life Skills Training (LESTARI), HIV Awareness Programme for Peers & Youth (HAPPY), Time Freeze, Walk For Life, Penyinar Orientation Programme (POP) etc. The Penyinar also equipped to handle leadership & teambuilding games and actively involved in youth activities around Brunei Darussalam.
The Club was awarded with Commonwealth Youth SilverAward 2005/2006 & 2007/2008 for its Kelab Penyinar & HIVAwareness Programme respectively. In 2009, they are also presented with ASEAN Youth Award for their volunteerism spirit.
