Concern Universal, through its Excel project and in collaboration with St Joseph's Farm Centre, recently ended a two-day stakeholder training for staff of the Sulayman Jukung Jammeh General Hospital in Bwiam, St Joseph's Family Farm Centre as well as teachers and community representatives on HIV and gender.

The program was held at the St Joseph's Family Farm Centre (SJFFC) grounds in Bwiam, Foni Kansala. The training was aimed at enhancing the awareness level of the participants on HIV and the subsequent threats it poses to people around the world. They were also exposed to gender issues.

In his opening remarks, the director of Saint Joseph's Family Farm Centre, Marcel Badjie, said the training was a very significance move in the right direction, noting that it would help the participants to understand HIV infection and gender dynamics.

According to him, the training will further enhance and build the capacities of the participants in controlling the spread of HIV at national level through disseminating the information gained from the training. He added that it would also enhance the process of updating his centre's gender policy.

For his part, the health coordinator of Concern Universal, Kay Sey, reiterated that aim of the training was to enable participants to understand the facts concerning HIV and its modes of transmission.

He said that it would equip the participants to explore issues that are related to gender in the society as well as at working places.