"Stop Aids, keep the promise" This is the slogan Guinean political leaders and health professionals invoked on December 1, 2007 at the World AIDS day held at the "Palais du Peuple" in Conakry, Guinea.

 Guinea's National Aids Committee organized the event with sponsorship through USAID's "Faison Ensemble" initiative.

USAID launched Faison Ensemble, which translates into Working Together, to promote health, education and public administration.

The $23 million project provides financial and technical support for groups promoting good governance practices, said project leader Stephen Snook.

In 2007, two new voluntary testing and counseling centers (VCT) opened in Conakry as a result of the project sponsored by USAID. Nineteen centers operate nationally, in Conakry, Upper Guinea, the Forest Region and Lower Guinea, each supplied with a three-month stock of test kits and laboratory materials.

During the past reporting period the following results were recorded:

This is not the first time that USAID has played a significant role in the fight against the illness in Guinea: In 2002, USAID gave $2.2 million toward HIV/AIDS programs in Guinea.

USAID programs aim to educate vulnerable groups, such as adolescents, in the prevention of AIDS. Programs focus on modifying personal perceptions of risk as well as sexual behavior. Voluntary counseling and testing services are also components of USAID's mission. Other components include reinforcing political commitment, promoting sound health policies, increasing multi-sector programming and the engagement of civil society.

Some of USAID's programs in Guinea have included:

In order to spread the HIV/AIDS prevention message, USAID financed project TOSTAN which trained over 7500 people in the Middle, Lower and Upper Guinea regions.

In addition, USAID worked with the Guinea Chamber of Mines and the National AIDS committee to implement two voluntary counseling and testing centers in the mining areas of Kamsar and Sangareti, HIV/AIDS prevalence among the mine workers is estimated at 4.7% according to a USAID survey conducted in 2001.

Leaders united for the fight against the illness and called for a commitment to individual and community responsibilities, courage and solidarity in the fight against the illness.

Speeches focused on several strategies:

The concluding speeches of the Prime Minister and First Lady focused the importance of ethical behavior among young people, and encouraged more effective participation of parents in the educational process.