An Overview of the Sexual Health Committee
Our History
In September 2004, eight Peace Corps Volunteers serving in Morocco met with members of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Youth and Sport, and several Moroccan NGOs, all which worked on HIV prevention and treatment in Morocco. Upon conclusion of the meeting, all parties agreed that Peace Corps Morocco could best support a coordinated effort towards HIV education by the creation of a SIDA Committee. The Committee is made up of volunteers and meets quarterly in Rabat to discuss programming, training, and projects.
In November of 2013, the committee met and voted to expand the mission of the SIDA committee to include education about general sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and safe sex outreach.
We are now the Sexual Health Committee, and we are continuing on the path of helping volunteers start the conversation about safe sex in their respective communities.
Pursuant to these goals the SIDA Committee provides literature to be used by PCVs in designing and implementing PCV trainings, coordinating relationship-building efforts with Moroccan HIV/AIDS NGOs and relevant Ministries. This material is kept up-to-date and available for representatives to make available to their stagemates.
Since its founding, the SIDA Committee’s role has developed with the needs of the country and of the PCVs serving in the country. As of April 2010, the Committee has made a concerted effort to advance monitoring and evaluation of projects and to encourage more goal oriented programming. To maintain continued advancement of these goals, the Committee has identified four initiatives to focus its work: Training Programming, Resource Development, Results-Orientation, and High-Risk Demographics.
Committee Member Responsibilities:
● Attend and actively participate in twice-yearly meetings
● Assist the committee in various organizational responsibilities, such as updating member’s stagemates on current SIDA/STI programs and new resources, compiling SIDA Kits for distribution to volunteers, etc.
● Present the SIDA Committee training modules at PCV trainings
● Provide continuous support to member’s stajmates, including assisting project development, implementation and follow-up
● Prepare a small SIDA project for presentation at trainings
● Coordinate Trainings of Trainers (TOTs) in association with SIDA projects implemented by the member’s stagemates
Sexual Health Committee members (by PC region):
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North-East: Johanna van Dijk, Mark Mahon
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Mid-West: Israel Custodio, Samie Druckman
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Mid-North: Jennan al Hamdouni, Garrett Powers
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South: Leanna Pohevitz, Sarah Ferrari
*Contact your Peace Corps Regional Manager for representative contact email or phone number.
