505 47 ADWAC trains out-of-school youths on HIV/AIDS prevention, behavioural change

The Agency for the Development of Women and Children (ADWAC) recently organized two days training workshop for 14 out of school youths on HIV/AIDS prevention in Kerewan, North Bank Region.
In his opening remarks, Mamsamba Joof, director of ADWAC underscored the importance of the training programme, noting that ADWAC attaches great importance to the capacity development of women and children on health related issues in general and HIV/AIDS prevention in particular, care and support for families affected or infected by the epidemic.
Mr. Joof said that no meaningful development can take place if people are not healthy and as result the two-day training aims to enable youths to adopt best health seeking behaviour to avert the prevalence of HIV among the youthful population in the region. He urged youths and particularly girls to not only say no to premarital sex but to ensure that they are well protected from any form of transmission.
Commenting on behavioral change, the director called for concerted efforts of all to build the capacity of youths on HIV as they are the cream of the society and investing in them would enable the country to attain its human resource base requirement. He used the occasion to call on youths to disseminate the skills and knowledge at grassroots with the objective of raising their understanding on the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and how they can protect themselves and their families form the epidemic. The ADWAC boss also used the occasion to commend the development partners and the communities for partnering with ADWAC in the implementation of Global Fund HIV/AIDS Round 8 and assured them of their fullest support and cooperation at all times.
Amat Joof, health project manager of ADWAC hailed the efforts of out of school youths for supporting the agency in promoting socio-economic development at community level. He asserted that all these interventions could only be sustainable and enhance people participation if people are healthy. HIV/AIDS prevention is central in global fund package and therefore as out of school youth, they need to play a proactive role in educating their peers on the effects of HIV and how it can be prevented. He then urged them to be role models in promoting behavioral change among youths at grassroots level, noting that the agency would support out of school youths to carry out step down training on HIV/AIDS and reproductive health with the view of empowering young people to acquire appropriate skills and knowledge. He added that the sensitization would help bridge the information gap on HIV/AIDS and noted that the two days training would obviously bring about behavioral change on sex and sexuality.
Ebrima Sisawo, regional coordinator on HIV/AIDS for ADWAC said that the two days training was designed to equip youths on HIV/AIDS, gender and development and sexually transmitted infections with the view of enhancing their understanding on the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. The training according to Mr. Sisawo would increase the scope of awareness for out of school youths.