[World Council of Churches] A three-day training on “HIV self-stigma and life-building skills for vulnerable communities,” held in Nigeria, helped equip faith leaders to respond to the challenges of HIV among young people.

The workshop, which took place Nov. 2-5 and was organized by the Christian Council of Nigeria and the World Council of Churches, strengthened the skills of faith leaders and young people to prevent HIV, and helped create strategies to respond to HIV self-stigma.

The Most Rev. David Onuoha, Anglican bishop of the Diocese of Okigwe South and the president of the Christian Council of Nigeria, expressed deep concern for the numbers of young people living with HIV and the impact of stigma.

Participants described how much they learned from the gathering. “To end end stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV, it is something we have to do together—we cannot do it alone,” said Donald. “You have to involve the religious workers, the facilities, even the people living in the community as well.”

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