Using football to tackle HIV/AIDS, Nauru
12 February 2009

My name is David Dowiyogo from the pleasant island of the Republic of Nauru.

Greetings to you all. I would like to introduce on behalf of our team the Nauru National Youth Council (NNYC). It is our great honor and appreciation to obtain funding from UNESCO. It’s going to be a most valuable time for our young people and us the decision-makers in the Council to initiate decision policy to promote youth to youth interaction in alleviating HIV/AIDS/STIs. Thanks to UNESCO for your kind assistance to help fund our project.

Nauru AFL (Australian Football League) after training
As it stands we are in a stage of instigating and at present strengthening AFL actions with the Cabinet Minister of Sports, Health and Justice, Hon. Matthew Batsiua MP, who is also keen on running with the young people at senior levels playing AFL training. We currently have an AFL training session three times a week with the Nauru Australian Football League (NAFL) newly established committee. Two of our NNYC members are also executive members of the NAFL and they are helping the Youth Visioning project get on its way. We are looking forward to the visit of the Oceania AFL representative, Mr Andrew Cadzow, this month between 21st to 28th February. We will ensure that our promotional billboard and signs will be up, to send our message across whole communities on prevention and protection against HIV/AIDS. This is crucial to our actions plans.

We are also members of peer educators. The meeting this Friday is moving towards youth mobilization. Talking HIV/AIDS to youths always plays a pivotal role. In our view, HIV/AIDS alleviation always depends on one another’s actions. Peer educators in partnership with NNYC are already conducting meetings to discuss the project plan of action to further develop personal skills and strengthen community action.

David Dowiyogo, Nerida-Ann Hubert, Horasio Cook
Nauru National Youth Council (NNYC)

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(L-R) Nerida-Ann Hubert, David Dowiyogo, Horasio Cook