ZAYS OPENS BRANCH IN KAFUE

Zambia Association for Youths In Schools in its expansion programme has opened a branch in Kafue Estates area. This Branch comes at a right time when the Organization was planning to open its Institute of which we have opened a ZAYS Institute to be situated in Kafue were the Branch Office are. So far a house has been rented for and kafue ZAYS actitives will be taking place there. The institute will begin with enterpreneurship seminars and workshops for the youths and then will develop in giving professional courses and will start with the international examined course with the partnership of British council -Zambia the moment things are finalized. 13th-16th October 2007 ZAYS will carry out oreintation for the newly elected branch executive and also will have a retreat for planning for the Institute. There must be social Intergration for development and so as we fight HIV/AIDS we are suppose to empower the youths with skills benefiacial to their lives. This in turn will bring about development and youths that are busy reducing the risk of infections of HIV/AIDS and other bad vices that undevelop the community. In the coming year we expect to run this Institution fully and fees will be low considering the vulnerable. ZAYS wishes to enroll those wish to kick start this Institute as tutors or lecturers on voluntary basis this includes international volunteers.

By Rodney Katongo

110 GO FOR VCT IN A DAY-CHILANGA

Zambia Association for youths in Schools (ZAYS) has continued to make strikes in the fight agianst HIV/AIDS. The sensitization through drama and dance perfomances that included the mobile Voluntary Counseling and Test (VCT) ; held in Chilanga was one of the success that saw one hundred and ten (110) people and mostly youths know their HIV status. This day was highly characterised with serious dances and songs including sketches with HIV/AIDS messages and meant to capture the attendation of community members and in turn encourge them go for VCT. The event was at Parklands High School. The Sensitization and Mobile VCT was in conjunction with New Start Centre who run out of the testing utilities due to the overwhelming response. There has been serious invitation by the community and school to go back and have the another event again. The sensitization which was made possible with the funding from CRAIDS, had shown results with all the 45 trained youths participating and this was also part of the auditions to select only 10 for other activities connected to drama perfomaces. In an interview with the Patron for HIV/AIDs at Parklands School Mr. Tembo was thankful and considered the event as a success and pleaded that we need to carry out another one in the very near future and that it should be the very begining of partnering for development with Chilanga community. The President for ZAYS Mr. Humphrey Monde was so excited that he had nothing much to say but was looking for a way we can hold another massive event like this. A combination of the ZAYS members and the Anti-Aids club of Parklands High school was just too good that could not deny the audience kept live and educated of HIV/AIDS. The HIV results were impressive shown that there has been a lot done in chilanga and showing signs of reduction in the HIV/AIDS combare with other communities were had carried the same event. Out of the 110, 4 were positive and this number was 2 females and 2 males. In another similiar sensitization in Linda Compound out of the 60 test, 10 were positive of which 6 were females and 4 males. In the other communites as we wait for the actual results the is an indication that the number is high compared to Chilanga.

Reported by Rodney Katongo.