Jems youth raise community awareness of HIV and AIDS

Nearly two dozen JEMS youth and adults hit the streets of Kingstown last Saturday morning, June 11, to raise community awareness of HIV and AIDS.{{more}}

Supported by the National AIDS Secretariat, the AIDS Alliance, the United States Peace Corps and USAID, Saturday’s event was the second annual HIV/AIDS Awareness Street Fair hosted in Kingstown by the JEMS Youth.

Easily identified by their red AIDS Awareness ribbons, the group fanned out from the Central Market to hand out pertinent literature and field questions from interested passers-by.

“There’s a lot of awareness of HIV and AIDS in St. Vincent,” notes JEMS President Rhonda Lee. “But it’s a subject we can’t stop talking about,” she adds. “Each year, a new generation of young people comes of age. It’s important that we continue to educate youth and adults about the effects of HIV and AIDS not only on individuals, but on their family, friends and communities.” Lee stresses.

Launched in 2009 as an HIV/AIDS peer counseling group, the JEMS Youth is involved in a variety of educational and developmental programs and community outreach activities.