Greetings to everyone,

Some delays in project implementation were experienced; these were brought about by conditions beyond our reach. However I am happy to note that HELTS project registered a steady kick.

At this reporting time, we have identified and recruited 5 project volunteers. We held a consultative meeting with various stakeholders, an orientation meeting for the project team was held and a baseline survey conducted.

The project received a warmly welcome from the stakeholders, and they praised the unique approach of sports to mobilize out of school youths from the slums. More to this, the project received training manuals that links football and HIV and AIDS from DSW-Uganda. These same manuals were used in the orientation meeting with the project team members. Other stakeholders offered balls, which are going to be used in the project.
A baseline survey was conducted successfully, and the community is so exited about the project. The report of the baseline is not yet finalized; therefore I will share the results in the next update about the project.

Thank you all GYCAers, and i promise to keep you updated about the progress of this exiting project.

Allan Maubania.

Dear friends,
I welcome you to my second blog where I will share with you on the progress of my project Global Youth Service Day “tujijue” expedition camp.
To start with, we formed a planning committee of 46 which was drawn from youth leaders representing various Divisions of Kiambu East and West Districts,youth organizations, Ministry of Youth representatives, scout voice journalists and crew leaders of various rover crews in the District. Our first meeting was held at Cheshire Home for the disabled where we first engaged in clearing of the bush in the morning and held the meeting in the afternoon. In this meeting I shared the objectives of the project and the proposed plan with the committee. Anthony Gathiri (19) was elected the chairman of the planning committee based on his vast engagement in community service. The representatives of each Division were charged with responsibility of recruiting the target 300 youth volunteers who will participate in the expedition. Four sub committees were also formed and charged with their responsibilities. These are

• Hospitality sub committee Chaired by Jesse Mwangi
• Publicity sub committee chaired by Francis Kabuu
• Operations sub committee chaired by Anthony Gathiri
• Fundraising Sub committee chaired by Simon Mwangi

The hospitality committee has visited various camping and service sites and recommended some. It was agreed that the flagging off ceremony of the expedition will be at Githunguri Stadium and the closing ceremony will be at Madaraka gardens Publicity committee has prepared flyers which are currently in circulation. As a part of publicity I posted the event on facebook (click this link http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=347035308269 and the GYSD event page http://gysd.org/events/2010/ke/global-youth-service-day-tujijue-expedition-camp and the response is quite encouraging with various groups from different parts of the country requesting to participate.Anthony and I also got an opportunity to attend the Youth Empowerment and Employment Summit held on Safari Park Hotel where we got to share on our project.
In attendance were our president Hon. Mwai Kibaki and US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger.

Ministry of health, Ahadi Community Outreach Program (ACOP)and National Organization of Peer Educators (NOPE) have pledged support in setting up VCT tents, providing test kits and providing counseling services during the expedition. The Mayor of Limuru has also pledged his support to the project after meeting the District Youth Officer. Shabaa, a youth leadership Initiative of Kenya Community Development Foundation who is our main partner will sponsor 100 youth participants fully as we also launch Central Shabaa for which I was nominated the regional coordinator. In preparation for this, a few youths will attend a social accountability training organized by KCDF towards the end of March.

So far the organizing team has been able to recruit 204 participants of the target 300.National Volunteer Network (Navnet) is also exploring possibilities of engaging their young volunteers. The planning committee meets every Saturday from 2:00pm at a venue agreed from time to time.

So far the progress is encouraging and exciting. I will keep you posted on the progress.

Your comments are always welcome.

586 youths in Bamenda have for the first time, watched a video on the functions of ARV in enhancing life for people living with HIV (PLWHIV) and 196 of them had the opportunity to know their HIV status .
When GYCA announce ‘Our chances with HIV II’ as a grants winner this year’s, I was filled with joy because the people on my community would have to benefit education of ART, know their HIV status and have psycho-social support.
Work kicked off immediately with borrowed resources while waiting for the dispatch of project funds. I held a planning meeting with CYN executive members and short listed the volunteer with whom I will be working. These volunteers were immediately seasoned on the project aims, objectives, budget and values; giving each and every one of them the details of their roles.
We then continued by visit two schools, GBHS - DT Bamenda and GTHS Bamenda where we sensitized and did Voluntary Counseling and Testing.At GBHS-DT Bamenda, the hall provided could not contain all the interested students. We then had to do an open air sensitization in a bit to satisfy all.

This first experience had a little twist due to the coinciding Cameroon Youth Week celebrated in mid February. On advocating for the appropriate dates for our in-school sensitization and screenings, the administrations suggested we integrate our activities as part of their Youth week celebrations. We therefore had to work under pressure to be able to sensitize 2 schools in one week and organize a mobile screening within the same period. The mobile screening was organized beside the entrance into the Bamenda football stadium in which over 196 youths had the chance to know their HIV status.

Another twist is that, we had difficulties penetrating GBHS Bamenda. Coincidentally, GTHS Bamenda was too motivated to have us and we couldn’t let them miss the opportunity.

Two of the beneficiaries had this to say after participating in the sensitization and VCT exercises. ‘It’s my first time to know one can live with HIV for more than a year without feeling sick’ said 18-year-old Ngum Lizette. Fube Abihnwi (23 years) on his part says ‘I have never had the courage to do an HIV test. After watching Ambe’s story (in the scenario) I covered my eyes and did the test but almost failed to collect the results. I had to corner one of the volunteers for courage. At last…’.

Fortunate and unfortunate, we have identified 19 newly infected youths. They cried, refused to accept the result and even threatened to disappear. With the help of our counselors, we have managed to bring these cases to order and they are currently attached to the Bamenda Day Hospital where their files are being followed up.

Our next stop will be CCC Mankon and LCC Mankon. Barely 14 places left to meet our target of sensitized youths, the prospects are very high as we still have two schools to go. Our major Challenge now is to complete the remaining 204 places on out VCT plan.

Dear GYCAers..

I am writing about the progress I have made in the project “Promoting awareness and empowerment in Nepalese adolescents on HIV and AIDS and drug use”. This is my second blog post. Following is a brief account of project activities undertaken-

1.Production of IEC materials

A draft of pamphlet to be distributed was made through desk review of literature and similar materials available from different countries of the South Asian Region.

After preparation, it was translated into Nepali language and sent to Mrs. Rameshwari Luitel, an expert in Nepalese language for correction and revision.

Similarly, other IEC materials to be used along with the questionnaires (pre and post test) were first prepared / drafted in English and then translated into Nepali.

Printing of the materials is getting delayed due to 12 hours of power cut off every day in the country.

2.Selection and contact with schools for launching the project

Dialogue with schools in Kathmandu and Pokhara are underway. However, the final examination schedule and session-breaks which happen to start-off shortly is causing hesitation among teachers and parents. We have been trying to negotiate for a suitable timing for the project’s sessions in the schools.

3.Collection of experience of young people driven to drug use and HIV due to peer pressure in schools

Experience of 5 young people driven to drug use and ultimately HIV due to peer pressure during school days has been collected through personal communication. The names and sources of information have been kept confidential.

This is what we have been able to accomplish till today. Any suggestion from you is warmly welcomed.

Thank you.

- Vinita

After receiving the fund, we had already started work on our project “HIV reduction through entrepreneurship development”. The major accomplishments in last one month are that we completed few meetings with project coordinators of rehabilitation centers of Pokhara. In partnership with them we will be conducting orientation on entrepreneurship to recovering drug users receiving treatment there. Also we met and talked with few recovering drug users who are now well established entrepreneurs. I explained to them about the objectives and vision of this project. They have committed to help us by being a role model and in partnership with us they will be helping other recovering drug users to become an entrepreneur. As a first activity of this project, we recently organized a training and orientation on drug abuse, HIV and entrepreneurship to students of grade 8, 9 and 10 of Tara Kunja Boarding school in Bajhapatan of Pokhara. The main objective of the programme was to give students the basic concepts of drug abuse and HIV. On the programme we explained to them about: what drug abuse is, what is the cycle of drug abuse, consequences of drug abuse and how to say no to drugs. Similarly we explained about the basic of HIV/AIDS. One of the major sessions was on entrepreneurship. The unique concept of this project was to link entrepreneurship with HIV. One of the main reason youth start to take drug is lack of employment opportunity and the reason for this is lack of entrepreneurship education in schools. So we planned to provide entrepreneurship orientation in schools so that youth don’t have to remain out of job after completing their education. During the session on entrepreneurship we explained to students on: what entrepreneurship is, what are the characteristics of an entrepreneur, how does an entrepreneurs starts his business and some examples of world’s greatest entrepreneur. This was our first activity under this project and it was a great learning opportunity for us as well. In the coming days we will be conducting such programmes in different other schools of Pokhara as well.