AYISE, with the help of AusAID (Thanks, mate!) built the Bangwe Youth Centre a few years ago (I’m not quite sure when, but I think maybe 2006). The centre (BAYOC) is staffed by young volunteers who are members of AYISE, who give up their time to enable the centre to provide a safe space for the youth of Bangwe to form healthy relationships and take place in sports, computer training, and other constructive past times. There are not enough facilities like this in the area, so BAYOC caters for a very large number of young people. So much so, that when the 'kids corner' was created for younger children the roundabouts broke due to overuse in the first few weeks. Despite this the centre is still a popular hang out for kids young and older.
BAYOC provides a free space, away from the prying eyes of adults, in which young couples can spend time together, without just hanging out on the streets (and the associated temptations/pressures of drink, drugs and unprotected sex). So to some it may seem like it's just a building and a few sports pitches, but it is actually a key tool in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS and in addressing poverty and unemployment by providing vastly discounted IT courses, and also positive mentoring from young men and women (mainly in their early - mid 20s I would say) who have managed to create a good life for themselves in the Bangwe area.
No comments:
Post a Comment