New youth body joins Aids battle
Matome Sebelebele
25 November 2003
The battle to reduce new infections among South Africa's youth is to be intensified following the launch of Youth 4 Life (Y4L), a new non-governmental organisation, in Pretoria last week.
The organisation aims to help stem the rate of new HIV infections, with the ultimate goal of pulling pulling the country out of the grips of the deadly disease.
The organisation's chairman, Themba Mabuza, said YFL plans to recruit and train a million volunteers who will educate their peers to ensure that new infections are drastically reduced over the next seven years.
Mabuza said his organisation will engage the services of youth celebrities as its "HIV ambassadors" at schools and tertiary institutions to encourage people aged 14-35 to subscribe to the "ABC principles of Abstinence, Being faithful to a single partner, and Condomising".
"Our strategy in this regard will involve popularising the approach of abstinence among the 14-17 year-old age
group and increasing the uptake of voluntary counselling and testing among young adults", Mabuza said.
Y4L will work together with the National Youth Commission, and plans to use the kwaito / hip hop music culture, solidarity marches, as well as awareness campaigns to highlight the dangers of HIV/Aids.
"It is now time to fight back ... and this is a battle we will not lose", Mabuza said.
Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya welcomed the establishment of Y4L, saying young people are critical to the development of societies.
"We therefore welcome such initiatives with the hope that they will further strengthen ongoing efforts as well as partnerships in the struggle against the HIV/Aids pandemic, particularly among the youth, who are the most affected by this scourge", Skweyiya said.
Source: BuaNews
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