LAGOS NIGERIA: The Catch Them Young (CTY) program was launched
February 15, 2006, by the traditional ruler of the Mgbala Agwa
Autonomous community, Eze Charles A Ukwu. This public event
was held a day after Lover's Day (Valentines Day) to officially
launch the program and draw special attention to it within the
Mgbala Agwa community. Declaring the program open, Eze Charles
A Ukwu commended the Mgbala
Agwa Youth Forum (MAYF) for its proactiveness in adressing
the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS in the community. He praised
youths for helping reshape the battered social and cultural
activities of the Mgbala Agwa community, particularly their
commitment to community health issues. HIV, he said, has decimated
the uninformed rural community of Mgbala Agwa, reversing community
progress. Eze Charles A Ukwu told attendees at the event that
he was very proud of the awareness on HIV and other health related
issues that community youths have helped create, assuring them
of his continued and unreserved support of their efforts.
Eze Charles A Ukwu thanked the Swedish organization Internationellt
KulturUtbyte (IKU) for believing in and supporting the cause
of Mgbala Agwa youths, citing MAYF partnership with IKU as a
model for other other international agencies and donor organisations.
Additionally, he gave special thanks to Mr. Nduka Ozor, MAYF
coordinator, for his resilance and persistence in overcoming
significant financial challenges to the MAYF program. In response,
Mr. Ozor thanked Eze Charles A Ukwu for his kind snf generous
praise, noting that couldn't have done it alone without the
support of his online volunteers. Mr. Ozor also shared with
attendees of the event some personal recollections, noting that
prior to venturing into the MAYF program he had been awed by
the challenges and constraints he would have to face. He further
called upon members of the Mgbala Agwa community to allow female
children to be actively involved in the program.
At the conclusion of official events, attendees were shown
a play by Mgbala Agwa youths on the dangers of HIV/AIDS that
was well-received by the community.
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