Young people fielded in battle against HIV/AIDS

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

As more young people in the capital are exposed to the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, a new approach involving their peers is being heralded as an effective prevention measure.

"Young people aren't only a target group, they can play a major role in actions against HIV/AIDS," Zubairi Djoerban of the Pelita Ilmu Foundation (YPI), an NGO focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention and assistance, said on Wednesday.

YPI has developed a "drop-in" center (Die-j YPI) at Cijantung, East Jakarta, which provides not only information about HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and reproductive health, but also holds fun and educative activities and to involve adolescents in music, art, theater, journalism, sports, and seminars.

"We usually go to the nearby malls and schools to encourage the teenagers to come to our Die-j. But that usually takes about three months as we have to establish relationships with the most- popular teens in the targeted peer group," Enny Zuliatie, the head of the program, said.

After operating for two years, the center had been able to reach 465 at-risk teenagers, Enny said. Out of that figure, 301 faced difficulties with social interaction and unemployment, with many of them only semi-literate; 121 had reproductive health- related problems or indulged in pre-marital sex, had unwanted pregnancies, abortions, or sexually transmitted diseases; 33 were drug abusers, while 10 others had problems with dysfunctional families.

It's the "teen language" used by Abi, 21, who formerly is a drug addict, that enables him to effectively disseminate information about safe sex and the dangers of drugs to his peers.

"I've been a peer counselor for over a year now ... I help the center through my rock band," he told The Jakarta Post.

Data from the Ministry of Health indicates that up to September last year, at least 5,700 people are known to be living with HIV/AIDS. Of this number, 2,300 are under 29 years old, mostly adolescents.

However, these figures may reflect only the tip of a life- threatening iceberg, with non-governmental agencies, such as Jakarta-based AIDS Care Forum, reporting that the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the capital reached an estimated 24,000 in September. (001)