Folks, if the stats presented by brother Sarr below, are correct, then we
better take heed.  How accurate is he when he said:  "about 68 percent of
urban girls are illiterate, 30 percent of which engages in commercial sex
(Please focus on the 30%)."  What is his stats on boys in this context?  He
also said that "48 percent of males in rural areas are illiterate, and that
20 percent of them are gangsters (please focus on the 20%)."  Is he
referring to gangsters as we know it out here?  Someone, please bring me up
to speed.   According to him, "10 out of every 1000 adults in Serrekunda are
infected with HIV/AIDS, while 71 percent of Gambian youths assert that the
disease is not for young people (please focus on the 10 out of 1000)."  What
are the stats for other districts?  Does anyone know what percentage of the
youths are infected?  Those in the know please educate us.

Chi Jaama

Joe Sambou


Foresight Sisters Battle HIV/Aids

The Independent (Banjul)

May 10, 2002
Posted to the web May 10, 2002

Musa Jobarteh
Banjul

The Foresight Sisters of Sanchaba Sulay Jobe, recently organised a symposium
on HIV/AIDS and the Community.

In his opening speech, Alagie Kolley the manager of NACP commended the
Foresight Sisters for their positive moves. He said it would not be very
difficult for them to archive their goals if other well-meaning members of
society would emulate their good work. Mr. Kolley who gave a brief overview
of the country's HIV/AIDS situation, said the first HIV/AIDS case was
discovered in the country in 1986, and that more than 4,000 cases have since
been diagnosed in hospitals throughout the country. He said that in 1986
there were no retroviral drugs for AIDS, and that all they did was to
capitalize on sensitization.

Presenting a paper on HIV/AIDS and Youths, Ousainou Sarr who doubles as the
director and chairman of NAYCO and GAHA respectively, said about 68 percent
of urban girls are illiterate, 30 percent of which engages in commercial
sex. He also said that 48 percent of males in rural areas are illiterate,
and that 20 percent of them are gangsters.

According to him, 10 out of every 1000 adults in Serrekunda are infected
with HIV/AIDS, while 71 percent of Gambian youths assert that the disease is
not for young people. "We need to be very careful because a vast proportion
of our population are youths," he warned.

Other speakers were Modou Lamin Jaiteh, a reporter at The Point newspaper
who presented a paper on HIV/AIDS and Community, on behalf of Dayda Hydara
the managing editor of the same paper; Rohey Jagne who spoke on HIV/AIDS and
Women; and Abie Satou Sowe the executive co-ordinator of Foresight Sisters.
The symposium was chaired by Mba Kaddy Jammeh of NAYCO.






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