Originally published October 18 2005
UNICEF wants to raise AIDS awareness among Rwandan children
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
22,000 out of 1.2 million Rwandan children are infected with HIV, but less than 20 percent of those children can answer questions about the virus.
The rate of HIV/Aids prevalence among Rwandan children is appalling with 22,000 out of 1.2 million children said to be infected with the virus.
The situation is compounded by the 160,000 already orphaned by Aids, according to the UNICEF's Country Representative, Bintu Keita.
She was presiding over a recent six-team youth football tournament in Cyangugu province to create awareness on HIV/Aids among the youths.
Presiding over the ceremony, Keita stressed that there should be strong measures to educate and inform the youth about the scourge.
She called upon other organizations to emulate the National Youth Council in the crusade against Aids.
Records indicate that only 20% of Rwandan children can answer questions about HIV/ Aids prevention.
"UNICEF focuses on the youths because they are the world's future; if we give them less value, Aids may finish off the whole world," Bintu cautioned, adding that, "We should be like goalkeepers in fighting HIV/Aids and it's possible to overcome the scourge like we did with polio."
The Chairman of the National Youth Council, Djamali Mbangutse, revealed that most girls take no active part in activities aimed at fighting the scourge due to traditional biases against females.
However, it was said that the council has now embarked on sensitizing females on HIV/Aids.
"We emphasize gender balance and that's why we encourage girls to participate.
They need to be more sensitized about the dangers of HIV/Aids because they are more vulnerable to the scourge," Mbangutse observed.
The ceremony was attended by the Director of Sports in the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Culture, Gaspard Hategekimana, the Governor of Cyangugu Fazil Harerimana and other residents.
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