Despite Strides Made Medically HIV Still Poses Challenges, WA-Cameroon Emphasize On Sex Education At Home To Curb New Infection

CYF Participants at HIV/AIDS Youth Fair 

Facilitator PreCounsel a participant on HIV/AIDS 

Facilitator pins an HIV/AIDS Ribbon on a parent

Youth dance group at HIV/AIDS Youth Fair 

Women in Action Against Gender Based Violence in Cameroon, WA-Cameroon under the program Safe Adolescents and Young Womenhood, SAW, with funding from Positive Action for Children Fund, has re-launch a sensitization campaign against new infections of HIV in Mezam Division of the North West Region of Cameroon. Though the project targets are mostly the female youths, the male folks do not miss the opportunity to get counseled and tested to know their status.

The SAW program has so far reached out and carried out sensitization on the devastating effect of HIV to over 10.000 adolescents, youths and parents in schools and groups. This stride was recorded after carrying out 10 trainings involving 4 youth led structures and 8 schools thus; GBHS Bamenda, CCAST Bambili, GHTS Alabukam, GHS Alankie, GTHS Bambui, GTHS Chomba, GHS Nsongwa. 800 adolescents and other young people were empowered with knowledge on preventing new HIV infections among adolescents and surviving the infected.

According to one of the facilitators, Ngoran Christel, while addressing over 3000 young people at the 58^th edition of the Christian Youth Fellowship CYF rally at the Presbyterian Church esplanade on February 19, 2017, she called on parents to encourage sex education at home. Sex education, she said should play a vital role in child up bringing especially now that children are not going to school and are idling at home. Parents should put an eye on all their activities both at home and out of home. The officiating Pastor, Reverend Foncham Ezikiel, Presbyterian Secretary for Mezam equally cautioned the youths against living an immoral and reckless lifestyle which is not only sinful but can also expose their body to HIV.

Same time at the ceremonial ground on the HIV/AIDS Fair stand, young people were taking turns to fill the forms get counseled and tested. The young people on like before presented themselves for testing in total excitement after being counseled. Most of them were very eager to have copies of the over 1000 posters and manuals carrying well documented information about HIV and AIDS prevention. At this occasion alone, close the expected 70% targeted knew their status and those who tested positive were referred to hospitals to commence treatment. To ascertain whether the knowledge disseminated were well conceived by the young people, a group quiz in the form of questions patterning to HIV and AIDS were asked and many were apt in their response and won prizes. Participants were encouraged to spread the message among peers while in the quarters.
  
By Ignatius Nji in Cameroon