SASNOC and the Samoa AIDS Foundation have lived up to the MoU signed on the 25th of May by joining forces to deliver STI and HIV education to athletes not only from Samoa but across Oceania and the Commonwealth.  The first of many scheduled joint activities, representatives from the two organisations were pleased with the huge number of athletes who filed through the Voices of the Athletes' (VoA) booth to learn more about the transmission and prevention of STIs and HIV during the recent Oceania and Commonwealth Weightlifting Qualifiers hosted by Samoa from the 6th-9th June 2012. 

IWF President, Dr. Tamas Ajan was impressed with the set-up, the delivery of the education and the response by the athletes to the education provided via the VoA booth. 

According to ORADO Administrator, Natanya Potoi-Ulia who led the Voices of the Athlete Team during the qualifiers, more than half the number of competing athletes and officials participated in the 3 types of activities offered at the booth.  These included a leadership pledge which athletes developed; receiving an education on HIV by completing a survey and discussing responses or engaging in condom demonstrations and completing an electronic quiz on anti-doping.  IEC material was also made readily available by the merry band of volunteers and team leaders.

SASNOC's Tagifano Soonalole-Taosoga (Dengue, as she is fondly known) teamed up with Tara Apa, SAF Acting Deputy Director and ORADO's Administrator, Natanya Potoi-Ulia to deliver the education around leadership, HIV and anti-doping.  The team leaders were ably supported by young volunteers.