13 Mar 2013

Chairperson of Serowe district youth council, Mr Onkutule Selathwa says Rural Area Dwellers (RADS) will be included in the activities of the Month of Youth Against AIDS.

In an interview, Mr Selathwa said consultation was ongoing and they had already planned to visit four RADS villages in the Serowe district: Malatswai, Sehonou, Majwanaadipitse and Dimajwe.

During the visits, he said they would conduct workshops, debates and other public gatherings that would enable them to foster youth/adult partnerships for an HIV free nation.

He added that they would also sensitise children about the importance of education and encourage them to shun activities that could jeopardize their education. Guardians would be encouraged to give their children proper guidance, he said.

“Young children need parental guidance, because without proper parental guidance, their future is negatively affected and without such guidance, some may fall prey to diseases such as HIV/AIDS”, Mr Selathwa emphasised.

Mr Selathwa noted that the situation of RADS left them vulnerable, adding that  sometimes parents and culture had a negative impact on children as they still allowed them to get married at a very young age. He said they had started mobilising relevant stakeholders to be part of the activities, pointing out that departments of education and youth, as well as the District Multi-sectorial Aids Committee had already been brought on board.

The activities, he said, will extend beyond March. ENDS