CARICOM launches new youth oriented HIV/AIDS awareness project
Staff Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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Jeffery Hanley, Director of Youth Affairs, and Elvis Newton, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health
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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS - CARICOM Youth Ambassador (CYA) for St. Kitts & Nevis, Ian Richards, announced May 20th at Government Headquarters that his organization will be launching a two-part initiative entitled ‘The More You Know,’ which he described as “the latest initiative to educate and protect our people.”
The first part of ‘The More You Know’ initiative is to air a public service announcement (PSA) entitled ‘Get Tested.’ “The PSA will feature a combination of residents from different age groups, ethnicity and gender proclaiming on camera ‘I did it’, as well as footage showing testing and counseling from a local event coupled with messages urging viewers to get tested to know their status,” stated the CYA in his description of the televised message.
“The PSA will be aired on ZIZ Television in St. Kitts and on the Information Channel and GIS in Nevis for a minimum of six months,” he added.
The second part of the initiative, a youth oriented quiz game show in the tradition of Jeopardy, was hailed by Sherwin Benjamin, a representative of the CARICOM Secretariat, as being a “practical example in St. Kitts where the HIV/AIDS program is coordinating with young people.”
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Newton and Richards sign agreement for the launch of ‘The More You Know.’
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Two students from each of the five chosen high schools will participate in the game show, where they will be tested on their knowledge of HIV/AIDS subjects such as stigma and discrimination, prevention, statistics, general information and responses. The preliminary rounds of competition will begin on June 27th.
“This use of this interactive format will provide young people with an opportunity to enhance their knowledge of HIV/AIDS in a creative and teen-friendly way, and promote a positive message to the school population as well as the general public,” said Richards.
Following the preliminary rounds, those schools who qualify will advance to the finals on July 4th, which will be televised live from Basseterre High School. Richards said that he hoped the students who participated in the competition would become “change agents” for HIV/AIDS awareness in the youth community.
~~Adz:Left~~Geoffrey Hanley, Director of Youth Affairs for St. Kitts, stated the he hoped young people would actively participate in ‘The More You Know’ initiative, as it was largely developed from input gleaned through many interviews and consultations with them.
“This is an initiative that is youth oriented and all young persons are encouraged to participate and continue to make their recommendations in terms of going forward,” said the Director.
Elvis Newton, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health, was also in attendance to demonstrate his ministry’s support for the launch of ‘The More You Know’ program by donating EC $13,500 to the project.
