Our club activities are currently represented by WAIT project.

"W.A.I.T. - Washington AIDS International Teens"

Who we are

W.A.I.T. – stands for Washington AIDS International Teens is peer project which focuses on HIV/AIDS and other STDs prevention. The project was found in USA. In 2005 it spread to Europe through United Kingdom where it came first. In 2007 we started the WAIT project in Czech Republic with a “kick-off ” workshop where there were student participants from UK, Czech Republic and Poland. The pillar of the program is team of young people which does performing arts such as dance, drama and music at primary, secondary schools and colleges. Through performing arts the WAIT team members want to spread the message of sexual abstinence as the best way of protection themselves and others from catching HIV/AIDS or other STDs. By doing this we want to guide young people to realize the real value of their life, love and sexuality.
Each WAIT member is encouraged to develop their unique talents as a way to convey the prevention message to others. Skits, game shows, singing, dancing, art, and other creative channels are employed in our activities. WAIT embraces all people, so honoring each person’s respective faith, language, family and tradition is important within our teams.

History

In September 2001 Dr. Chang Shik Yang initiated new organization in Washington D.C. which he called W.A.I.F. (Washington AIDS International Foundation). Its members started to give lectures at schools and education centers about HIV/AIDS. Everything was based on very detailed Power Point presentations that were showing all about HIV/AIDS and its transmission. In March 2002 Kate Tsubata joined the WAIF organization and started close cooperation with its headmaster. Soon she got so much inspired that she decided to gather young people who would be passing on message of sexual abstinence and thus help to stop continuous spreading of HIV. In June 2002 Kate met with a small group of young people from Maryland so they could put together first dance performance for schools. In order to allow everyone in the group to use his particular talents and skills, they made up the performance by using different types of dances (break dance, hip-hop, ballet…) which they later expanded of sing, scenic and drama parts. The most impressive thing about the whole thing was that young people could realize that every single one of them can actually join the fight against HIV/AIDS. Based on this first performance, WAIT (Washington AIDS International Teens) developed from the WAIF step by step. Since that WAIT team approached over 100 000 people by having more than 800 performances. Shortly after the program spread all over America and little by little it got to European, African and Asian countries where there were established new WAIT teams.

Performances

The separate performances we do at primary and secondary schools, high schools and colleges, youth clubs or in public. Whole program takes about 45 minutes and it consists of dance, sing, drama parts concluded with final discussion

WAIT rules:

WAIT is a program representing certain kind of serious values toward society. It is trying to explain teenagers why they should actually value their life, love and sexuality. Therefore the part of a team can become only those who themselves affirm and represent these values. WAIT has its clearly set rules which are to support character development of each and every team member. By following the rules we learn to respect others and ourselves. We learn to appreciate our own work and work of people around us. We learn not to give up things and teamwork.

Reasons why we are WAIT team members

• I go to WAIT because the team means more than family to me.
• I like to move around and perform for others.
• It is great opportunity for me to communicate and listen to people.

AntonĂ­n (12)

• I come here to learn how to dance and then show others what I have made and achieved.
• I also have friends here.

Monika (18)

• I want to support the idea of this project and help to pass on its message about life values and creating good atmosphere around us.
• I can learn how to become teacher of others and also how I myself can learn something from someone else.
• I have opportunity to help people to realize value of their life and see the fact that good things actually do happen still and they all can be part of making them happen.

Lukáš (14)

• I can openly talk about everything here.
• I can pass on what ever I learn here.
• I have friends here.
• I see that WAIT is not just about “hopping” and chilling out…

Eva(19)

• I feel peace and mutual equality here – nobody is better or worse and everyone has his own place.
• Here was the first time I have ever felt real family.
• I come here because WAIT has incredible potential to give hope to people. And standing here now I can firmly say that I do believe it.
• I can do what I have always wanted to – communicate, talk to people and help them.

Jana(21)

• I understood something for my personal life – a sort of self realization – that I actually desperately need to do something valuable, reasonable and purposeful for others and WAIT offers me such opportunity.
• I have always had that life attitude saying “one spouse for eternity”. I want to give to my partner just all the best of me and that is why I am trying to focus on the way I live and therefore give my life the best possible value. WAIT is just great mediator for me to achieve it.
• I develop my own talents and skills here and that is something that simply makes me happy. I feel really good when ever I can tell myself: “Well, I have really made some good steps forward here…“

Benjamin (15)

• I can share the idea of WAIT with other young people.
• I come here because of other WAIT members who are great.
• I like the dance, break dance, scatch…
• I can freely say and express what ever I want to without being afraid of others laughing about me. (I can be myself here…)