At Student Stop Aids Campaign (SSAC) we spent the last weekend with our Presidents for two great days of skills sharing and campaigning action.

 

 

 

 

During the weekend, led by our knowledgeable SSAC Coordinator Kate, we shared a lot of information on the successes of SSAC, new drugs to treat HIV/AIDS and access to treatment, Patent laws and trade agreements that forbid the production of cheap generic medicines, the Global Found and its mission to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also helped our Presidents to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to coordinate their societies and organise campaigning action at their local universities and towns. One of our sessions was dedicated to building up the suitable skills to run street campaigning activities: from the production of banners and other campaigning material, to the organisations of successful and fun actions and the best way to attract people’s attention in the street.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then went out to practice our newly acquired skills and had a go at street campaigning. Here is a picture of the whole team doing a stunt in front of the Royal Albert Hall!

 

 

It was lovely to meet such a passionate and engaged group of people that will lead SSAC societies into a year of exiting events and campaign action on HIV/AIDS.

The weekend was also a chance to put down on our calendar the most important events for the year:

  • Fresher’s Week
  • The National Gathering – Edinburgh, November 2nd-3rd
  • World AIDS Day – All round the UK, December 1st
  • Day of Action – London, March
  • Stop AIDS Campaign Tour – All around the UK, February 5th-28th

Here at SSAC we are all looking forward to this year of activism with our stopaiders and Presidents, which I am sure will do a great job in making the Student Stop Aids Campaign happen!