First Lady Mrs Kagame to the youth: Believe and Act like you are our most valuable asset

The First Lady of Rwanda, H.E Jeannette KAGAME has encouraged African youth to play their part in the fight against HIV. This was mentioned in the 20th international conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa, which is taking place here in Kigali.

The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS indicates that 38 million people have HIV globally. 2/3 of those people are found in the sub-Saharan Africa. 3.3 million children in eastern and southern Africa have HIV, which is 8% of the entire HIV prevalence in the two regions.

Participants of this conference encouraged investment in education and peacebuilding in Africa, which will contribute to fighting against HIV/AIDS among adolescents. 

In a dialogue on ending the HIV epidemic among adolescent girls and young women in Africa, different youth like Joyce Amondi who is HIV positive shared ideas on what it would take to uproot the viral disease.

Different conflicts on the continent and lack of knowledge of HIV AIDS were some of the challenges and reasons that increase HIV infections in some countries, especially among women and girls as explain by Innocent Modisaotsile, Regional SRH/HIV advisor united nations population fund.

H.E Jeannette KAGAME shared hope that HIV will be eradicated from Africa, asking the youth to be at the forefront of fighting it.