The reigning Miss Kigali, Cynthia Akazuba, yesterday launched an anti-Aids campaign at the St Famille Church Conference Hall in Kigali city. The educative seminar was specifically organised for the youth and it covered topics related to HIV prevention measures. 

Over 50 youths, most of whom are orphans and former street children from different suburbs of Kigali attended.

"I believe that this cause will help cut infection levels since participants have acquired a lot of information on the subject and definitely, they will also go back and disseminate this information in their schools and residential areas,” Akazuba told The New Times.

Isabella Nizeyimana, one of the facilitators of the workshop conducted a question and answer session with the youth and many seemed to be well aware of the existence of the deadly pandemic.

"Aids is a serious constraint to development because it affects individuals, mentally, physically and psychologically. These effects lower productivity of the victims thus increasing poverty levels. As the young generation, you must avoid it so that you spearhead development,” Nizeyimana advised.

Among other officials who participated in the campaign was Benon Muhumuza, an official from Kigali City who also thanked Akazuba for using her position as platform for communicating to the youth about crucial issues in society.

By the end of the workshop, the young boys and girls had acquired training in reproductive health, dangers of pre-marital sex, abortion and the need to go for voluntary testing and counseling services.

Chantal Uwase, 18, said she was grateful for the information she acquired from this seminar, adding that she is concerned about the many children who still do not believe that HIV/Aids is real.

She vowed to ensure that anti-Aids campaign clubs are established in her home area to teach other youth about HIV/Aids.

"The youth must know that Aids has no cure. I now know that it is also relevant to advise pregnant mothers to test for HIV. In case they test positive, then they get to know of the prevention measures they can take to save their unborn children from this disease,” Willy Mutabazi, an orphan from Les Enfants de Dieu orphanage in Ndera added.

Today, over 2.5 million youth are infected with the deadly scourge worldwide.

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