THE partnership among the Ministries of Health and Culture, Youth and Sport, the Health Sector Development Unit (HSDU) and the President’s Youth Award: Republic of Guyana (PYARG) yesterday established a ‘Caravan of Hope’ at City Mall, Regent and Camp Streets Georgetown.

The vehicle, donated to the Ministry of Health through HSDU, was handed over to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for work to be done by the PYARG.

It will traverse the country with PYARG members promoting healthy lifestyles among Guyanese, especially youths.

The project will also focus on other societal issues, such as teenage pregnancy and the dangers of alcohol but the project is part of the national effort to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, who witnessed the handing over, said it is hoped the initiative will reverse the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

He said: “We hope that, with this Caravan of Hope, we can transform how our young people look and think about themselves and what they can do to change the society they live in.

“It is hoped that this Caravan of Hope will be able to turn back not only the epidemic but also reduce teenage pregnancy and the dangerous use of alcohol and other ills.”

Anthony exhorted young people to get involved and help make the country a better place for all Guyanese.

Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said the venture is to ensure that every Guyanese makes the right choice and emphasised the need for everyone, whether young or old, to be educated on healthy lifestyles.

He announced that his ministry has embarked on an aggressive drive to empower people with the knowledge and awareness of living healthy lives.

“We need to mobilise our people and move forward. We see the Caravan of Hope as one vehicle to achieve the goal of positive lifestyles in our country. Let the Caravan of Hope roll on and let the people of Guyana live healthier lives,” Ramsammy posited.

Chairman of the HSDU, Mr. Keith Burrowes pledged continuous support for the undertaking, saying the use of the vehicle for message delivery is timely because, globally, more creative methods are being explored to effectively reach the groups most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.

He said using more effective ways of educating people about HIV/AIDS is crucial, as every minute of every day, five young people under age 25 are infected, making a total of 7,000 daily.

“In developing countries such as ours, the spread of the virus is compounded by a range of social issues, including stigma and discrimination, poverty, high risk behaviour, gender roles and relations, cultural and social norms and differences among generations. It is hoped that this Caravan of Hope will serve to address these issues forthwith and bridge positive behaviour with healthy lifestyles,” Burrowes stated.

He had no doubt that the results of the campaign will be far reaching and go a long way in helping the national quest for a reduction in the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The PYARG members were trained in theatre techniques to deliver the HIV/AIDS message and, the expectation is that, by the end of the one year duration, more than 7,000 Guyanese, especially young ones, would assist in spreading the words and education units will be established in various regions to operate independently.