Coming together to fight AIDS

via CAAI News Media

Wednesday, 10 March 2010 15:00 Meas Leng and Sen Tharo

The Sustainable Aid for AIDS (S88) Conference, which aims to promote youth engagement in the fight against HIV/Aids, will be held this Friday at the Cambodian-Japanese Cooperation Centre (CJCC).

Since 1993 HIV/ Aids has become one of the most important health-care issues around the world. There has been a great effort in Cambodia and around the world to educate people about the disease and how it can be avoided. However, funding for HIV/AIDS-related social projects has been reduced by the economic recession, and there is also a belief among some that HIV/AIDS is not as big of a problem as it once was.

The S88 conference is meant to ensure that youths do not abandon the struggle against HIV/AIDS and that victims of the disease are given the opportunity to have a fulfilling and comfortable life. Discussions will focus on how the engagement of youth can lead to sustainable solutions to the problems posed by HIV/AIDS.

Friday’s conference has been organised by students from AIESEC in Limkokwing, in association with Seachange, with the overarching goal of facilitating community engagement by creating an environment that encourages youth to share ideas and participate in their society.

AIESEC Cambodia is currently cooperating with AIESEC students from Yale University in the United States to explore the potential of youth leadership and create a global learning platform through multi-national exchanges between students.

The events will bring together hundreds of youths from different schools and backgrounds who share a common vision to find sustainable ways of providing aid for people with HIV/AIDS. There will be a number of organisations at the event providing students with volunteering opportunities related to HIV/AIDS.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to draw inspiration from the lectures given by Cambodian and international HIV/AIDS experts. To engage the audience in the topics being discussed, students will be put in groups, allowing them to have critical discussions and also build their social network.

“We all must work together in the fight against AIDS,” said Dapisei Sreng, who is a volunteer on the organising team of the S88 Conference. By coming together to talk about the challenges facing their community, young people can spark changes that will improve their country. You can join the movement for the improvement of Cambodia by joining likeminded students at the S88 conference on Friday.