03 Apr 2017

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) youth closed the Month of Youth Against HIV/AIDS in style at the ministry's kgotla in Gaborone on March 31.
The youth remembered those affected and infected by HIV/AIDS at a place featuring a kgotla set-up at the ministry's headquarters.

Speaking at the closing ceremony organised by the wellness unit, deputy permanent secretary in the ministry, Colonel Duke Masilo commended the ministry's youth for starting the Month of Youth Against HIV/AIDS by sensitising other youth on matters relating to HIV and closing it in style by involving more youth.

Colonel Masilo said the ministry was the heart beat of the nation because wherever there were people, the ministry was represented hence the  youth should lead by example as future leaders.

He said in 1997, the government set aside the month of March to sensitise people about HIV/AIDS involving relevant stakeholders concerned in HIV/AIDS issues and bringing the youth together because they were the most affected and were comparatively sexually active.

Colonel Masilo said the day marked the closure of Month of the Youth Against HIV/AIDS and that the message had been shared with the slogan: Hands up for #HIV Prevention, and that the fight against HIV/AIDS was still on, adding that MLGRD has a role to play in the fight.

For her part, Ms Onalenna Sebapalo shared her testimony about being born with HIV, saying at the age of 26 she has been living with HIV/AIDS her entire life and discovered that she was HIV/AIDS when she was doing Form Five after she went for testing.

Ms Sebapalo noted that after finding out that she was HIV positive she kept quiet for years, fighting to accept her status and she was stressed and depressed leading to her failing her examinations and moving to Kasane to look for a job.

She further said while at Kasane she met a man who could not believe her status of being positive, leading to them having unprotected sex. She fell pregnant and that was when she decided to tell her mother about her status and pregnancy.

The mother came open and told her she was born HIV positive.

Ms Sebapalo said it was a sad situation and she blamed her parents for not telling her, but she came to accept everything and went for treatment and gave birth to an HIV/AIDS negative baby.

Addressing the issue of HIV/AIDS in youth and the church’s stance, pastor Kabelo Palai said most people live a life of false pretense and did not accept who they were.

Pastor Palai said people ought to have faith because HIV did not come from God. He further urged people to stop condemning and judging people living with HIV/AIDS.

Mr Desmond Lunga from Men and Boys organisation urged men to stop having multiple partners and encouraged them to test themselves and desist from relying on their partners who have tested. ENDS