By Stephan Bren, MAYF
Tuesday, November 15, 2005

LAGOS NIGERIA: Representatives of the Swedish youth organization, Internationellt KulturUtbyte (IKU), traveled to Lagos, Nigeria, to participate in MAYF’s Catch Them Young, a program for educating Nigerian youth with regard to HIV/AIDS.

IKU Östersund is a non-governmental youth organization working to address international issues and to establish relationships with other non-governmental organizations around the world. IKU began collaborative efforts with MYAF earlier this year, by observing and assisting with MAYF educational programs, and meeting with MAYF and local government leaders.

IKU representatives returned to Lagos on June 6, working with MAYF and local government to further develop MAYF’s Catch Them Young program. During this period, MAYF and IKU representatives visited primary and secondary schools throughout the Mgbala Agwa region to introduce the program to school children.

IKU also helped organize local activities, including a street walk and football tournament in the town of Mgbala Agwa. The street walk provided interested townspeople with information and counseling on HIV/AIDS. IKU representatives concluded their visit by touring the region’s health care facilities.

IKU noted the challenges that MAYF faces with regard to HIV/AIDS, identifying lack of education on HIV/AIDS as one of the most signficant challenges. For example, some children that IKU interviewed thought that HIV/AIDS was contracted through toilet use, while another disliked using contraceptives and believed that God would protect her.

Another challenge was cultural and involved the varying status of men and women, were young women are not encouraged to educate themselves on such matters. Such challenges underscored the need to “catch them young,” in order to install early education and awareness of the dangers of HIV/AIDS and how to protect oneself from these dangers.

Such challenges also highlighted the importance of women’s participation in MAYF organization and educational activities, in order to help women make more informed choices regarding sexual activity. In general, IKU found considerable enthusiasm among the youth that participated in MAYF events.