Poverty alleviation for orphans and vulnerable youths in communities.
Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. D10041)
Mwanza MC Institution, Lusaka, Zambia
Unemployment/Poverty/Streetism has left many Zambian Youths and Orphans Vulnerable to STDs and HIV/AIDS Pandemic. Youth Skills Enterprise Initiative Project is a response to the reduction of unemployment and streetism to the Zambian youths. Due to high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, many lives of the bread winners has been lost leaving behind many Orphans, Single Parents and Child Headed homes in search of health needs. Youths have exposed themselves to risky practises such as streetism, Prostitution, sex favours for jobs, Drug Abuse and Child Labour ending up with STDs and HIV/AIDS Diseases. The project confronted the problem by working directly with Vulnerable groups through sensitisation and awareness campaigns on HIV/AIDS and training in start your business to become small entrepreneurs in order to sustain their lives in a positive way by being off the streets. Since the projects inception in 1996, it has proven effective. Through managing small businesses, youths are able to meet their Social and health needs from the small profits gained. Poverty can make youths Vulnerable to HIV/AIDS Infections and as such the provision of loans has helped them to sustain their live-hood and behaviour change. I therefore recommend that: funds intended for poverty alleviation programmes should reach the youths. Youths must be involved in poverty alleviation activities, they should also take a leading role in Policy making decisions and increase resources to reach out to a wide coverage of people in the communities.
Keywords: AEGIS, Foster Home Care, Poverty, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Health Services Needs and Demand, Infection, Adolescent, Humans, Child, education
