The Forniko Youth Movement for Progress and Development has held an information-sharing meeting with youth from Lambayama, Nyandeyama, Dauda Town and Koyagbema sections in Kenema on the implementation of an HIV and AIDS project.
The project is being implemented by the Kenema City Council and funded by Sharp.
Mr Mohamed Faderu Lamin, the organization’s coordinator in his opening remarks, said the project was a way to caution youth on their sexual activities and to help fight the HIV and AIDS epidemic in their communities.
He emphasized that youth were more sexually active which had led to the spread of HIV and AIDS, high rate teenage pregnancy and early marriage in Sierra Leone. In his contribution the Forniko youth chairman, Abdul Swaray, thanked Sharp and the Kenema City Council for including the youth in the implementation of the HIV and AIDS project, and called on other NGOs to focus on youth in the implementation of HIV and AIDS programmes.
The youth chairman in Koyagbema, John Moiwo, thanked and appreciated the efforts of the youth of Forniko in bringing other youth groups together in the implementation of HIV and AIDS project, saying that they were directly affected more especially those within the ages of 14 and 25.
The Lambayama youth chairman, Ibrahim Koroma, said “the youth are the people who can make Sierra Leone if only they are united in the development of the country”.