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YOUTH ACTION AGAINST HIV/AIDS
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The Gambia is a youth dominated society with about 69% percent of the population according to the 2003 Census below the age of 30. The HIV/AIDS prevalence is on the increase especially amongst young people and women though the prevalence rate stands below 3%.

COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESS
This project will target new members of the National Youth Parliament of the Gambia whose will assume membership of the organization for the next three years. They will be enrolled formerly by October just three months before the coming to the end of the term of the current members in December 2008. For every term, the National Youth Parliament recruits 215 emerging young leaders from all the seven administrative regions of the country. Each regional youth parliament composed of 30 members. These are representatives of their respective community based organizations or district youth committees. They are therefore offered trainings on various issues that affect the life of the young people including HIV/AIDS and use to serve as models in their communities to serve as agents of change.
The project will address the issues of misconceptions about HIV/AIDS, Stigma and Discrimination. It will also enable young people to have access to the required information directly from their peers that is credible, factual and realistic.
The Culture of silence that promotes the spread of HIV/AIDS would also be address.

WHAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Since the elapse of the HIV/AIDS Rapid Response Program in 2005, much is not happening in the area of HIV/AIDS in the Gambia around young people. The focus of the Global fund for HIV/AIDS is currently on structures of government rather than on advocacy and sensitizations. Therefore, the need for information amongst young people on HIV/AIDS is more pressing now than ever before.
The National Youth Association for Food Security is only operating one Voluntary counseling testing centre in Tanji, Kombo South District of Western Region. The New World for Youth is also operating a youth friendly counseling centre in Bundung, Serrekunda, in the kanifing Municipality. The National Youth Council has also established a reproductive health centre in Farafenni, Pakalinding and Bansang.
Yet the biggest gap is that many young people remains without access to those facilities and everyone needs the information. And the issue of funding for youth HIV/AIDS Initiatives is indeed a constrain.

ACTIVITIES:
Trainings: The project will offer trainings on HIV/AIDS to all the 210 new members of the National Youth Parliament to be recruited next month. A training will be held in each of the seven administrative region for the 30 members of that Regional Youth Parliament. Each training will last for two days and will be take place in the following localities; Banjul, Kanifing, Brikama, Mansa Konko, Kerewan, Bansang and Basse. Each of the trainings will take the workshop format of presentations, Group discussions, and preliminary presentation. In addition to HIV/AIDS, other issues such as Community Outreach Approach, Public Speaking, and Communication Skills, group facilitations will also be part of the training.

Intergenerational Dialogue: Five intergenerational dialogues will be stage by each of the regional Youth Parliament following the end of their training. The dialogue will focus on the issue of culture of silence “why to end the silence” and Voluntary Counseling and Testing. It will bring the youth parliamentarians and the local authorities within the region together at each location. Each will last for 4 Hours.

Senior Schools Outreach: Each Regional Youth Parliament will also visit 7 Senior and Junior Secondary School within their Region. For this activity, participants or the youth parliamentarians will each be divided in 5 groups to carry out this activity. Each team will be headed by a team leader who will be the main speaker. They will hold session with students in their schools.

1. Project objectives:
a. Provide new members of the National Youth Parliament with the required information on HIV/AIDS in order to continue the spread of correct and accurate information on HIV/AIDS to the peers they represent.
b. To enhance the process of behavior and attitudinal changes amongst young people.
c. To address the issues of misconceptions associated with HIV/AIDS as well as stigma and discrimination.
d. To break the culture of silence over issues of Sex and Sexuality amongst young people.
To sensitize young people on the significance of Voluntary Counseling and Testing in order to make a popular attitude in youths.

December 3, 2008 | 12:25 PM Comments  0 comments

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