Youth NGO Receives Japanese Support

Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)

March 20, 2003
Posted to the web March 21, 2003

Maputo

The Youth Organization Against Drugs (OJCD), a Mozambican NGO dedicated to the fight against drug abuse and the HIV/AIDS epidemic, has received from the Japanese government about 75,000 US dollars worth of support for its activities.

The Japanese ambassador to Mozambique, Kanji Tsushima, said in Maputo, on Wednesday, during the launching of the organization's quarterly publication "Pontual", financed by the Japanese government, that this is part of the support Japan has pledged to the Mozambican health and education sectors.

Speaking to AIM, Tsushima said that this project is scheduled to last for one year, but may be renewed depending on its success. "Pontual" is published in a number of Mozambican languages, and in English and French, and is to be distributed across the country.

During the same ceremony, Mozambican Youth and Sports Minister Joel Libombo commended this youth initiative, saying that it will help increase awareness among Mozambican society that prevention is "the main weapon" in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

"The question of HIV/AIDS should not be a concern of the government alone. All of society should take strong measures to fight against this epidemic in our country", he said. "The growing number of HIV/AIDS cases among our youth calls for a redoubling of the existing strategies in order to eradicate the disease from Mozambican society".