Standard Chartered Bank has launched a new HIV/AIDS education website targeting schoolchildren - a really useful resource for teachers focusing on sex education, who wish to teach their pupils in a fun and engaging way.

http://www.vir.us/uses Pixar-style animation to teach 11-15 year olds about the dangers of HIV in an interactive way, using amusing vignettes and engaging characters to teach young people about the deadly virus. The website is divided into various modules and pupils can test their knowledge by taking an online test. Pupils who take the test can then contribute to a blog with their own views on the topic.

The website was launched by Standard Chartered Bank which has made a commitment to educate 1 million people on HIV/AIDS by 2010. Almost half of all new HIV infections occur among 15 to 24 year olds so it is clearly important that schoolchildren understand how HIV is contracted and its implications.

http://www.pshe-association.org.uk/news_detail.aspx?ID=1007

http://www.vir.us/en/index.html?c=null&id=null