afrol News, 8 February - The World Bank has awarded P1 million (about $100,000) to Botswana artists for the project aimed at encouraging behavioural change among youth and adults in Francistown. The young artists had submitted a funding proposal through the National AIDS Coordinating Agency last year.

Youth coordinator, Lionel Nkosi, said that Ghetto Artists and Bopaganang Basha jointly worked on a proposal for funding to address HIV/Aids issues in central Botswana and the surrounding areas.

He said the appalling scourge of HIV in the two organisations saw it fit to come up with a project which they hope will help fight the pandemic in the country.

Mr Nkosi said despite people being informed about HIV/AIDS, more people continue to be infected, hence there is a need to come up with strategies on prevention and control of HIV in Botswana.

“Since people in this country are knowledgeable and well informed about the disease, the challenge now is to get them to act on and implement the knowledge,” he said.

The project, which will run for 12 months, is scheduled to commence on March 2010.

The project will include active involvement of the disabled community which according to Mr Nkosi they have been sidelined for too long in HIV-Aids issues.

The project will include the recruitment of youth peer educators who will be deployed to targeted areas within and around Francistown to facilitate the organisation’s programmes.

The outreach project will assume an edutainment approach, and will include jam sessions, talk shows, faith-based outreach programs, and theatre performances.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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