DONOR: UNDP Bosnia and Herzegovina
DURATION: March 2012 – November 2012
LOCATION: Banja Luka, the western part of the RS, Una-Sana Canton
OVERALL GOAL: Education of younger adolescents with task of prevention of HIV spread and decrease of youth vulnerability.

PROJECT BACKGROUND
Bosnia and Herzegovina, any moment, can become country with high prevalence of HIV and AIDS because of presence of many risk factors such as poverty, mobile populations, increase of the criminal, ignore of marginalized groups, non sufficient integration of these topics into school curriculum, non informed youth, etc.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina there is not enough preventive educational programs which would educate younger adolescents about following topics: love, puberty and adolescence, sex and sexuality, peer pressure, contraception, HIV, STD, violence, abortion, trafficking in persons, etc. Analysing primary school curriculums, for whole Bosnia and Herzegovina, we have reached conclusion that these topics are very little integrated in regular school classes and that only partially they are thought during hours of class community (2 – 3 hours per year in seventh, eighth and ninth grade of primary school).
Project “HIV/AIDS education and awareness raising live theatre performances” targeted 6514 adolescents aged from 13 to 15 years (pupils of 7th, 8th and 9th grade) attending 78 primary schools located in western part of Republic of Srpska and Una-Sana canton, Federation of BiH.

Evaluation of the impact of the project on the target group:
1. Conducting assessment amongst representative sample of 1,009 children from 20 primary schools – pre-testing (before sample children have watched theatre performances).
2. Conducting assessment amongst representative sample of 1,009 children from 20 primary schools – post-testing (after sample children have watched theatre performances).
3. Quality analysis of assessment data collected – evaluation of impact of theatre performances.

After we have done quality analysis of assessment data collected – evaluation of impact of theatre performances, we have made following conclusions:
1. The theatre performance led to increased understanding of what it means to be HIV positive, and what it means to develop AIDS.
2. A large percentage of children perceived that AIDS is an incurable disease.
3. A significant percentage of children perceived that everyone can develop AIDS, regardless of age.
4. Out of 1009 students surveyed, only 33 of them were aware that they can become infected with HIV through unprotected sexual intercourse, by using a non-sterile needles, syringes, filters and absorbent cottons and by tattooing, acupuncture and body piercing with non-sterile instruments. All the others were, combined with some of these options, considering that can be infected by shaking hands and hugging each other, using the same eating utensils (cups, plates, sheets, and pillows) or staying in the same room with an infected person. Such false knowledge affects the formation of attitudes that directly lead to the stigmatization of infected individuals.
5. Considering the opportunities offered through this way of education for children, we believe that the theatre performance achieved the maximum effects and it laid a good baseline for further work with children.