Bible Society initiative empowers young people to fight HIV/AIDS

NIGERIA — Young people are the key to reversing Nigeria’s rising HIV/AIDS infection rate, according to the Bible Society of Nigeria. This is why its latest weapon in the battle against HIV/AIDS is a booklet designed to help young people to resist peer pressure and adopt the kind of behaviour which will keep them free from HIV/AIDS.

An estimated 3.6 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. If more people, especially teenagers and young adults, are not to be added to this number, then they must be educated about how HIV/AIDS is spread. Most importantly, the Bible Society believes, they need to be made aware of the Bible’s teachings and be guided towards taking control of their own destiny. This is where the Take Charge booklet comes in.

Written by Norwegian pastor Sindre Eide as a Bible study booklet and published by the United Bible Societies (UBS) in 2002, Take Charge addresses HIV/AIDS and sexuality. First and foremost, though, it is a book about “letting God rule our lives,” says Pastor Eide. It is designed to tackle moral issues in a way that will appeal to young people and encourage frank and honest discussions.

Take Charge

Having already distributed the other UBS HIV/AIDS publications, Living in Hope and Where is the Good Samaritan Today?, the Bible Society held a special event at Bible House in March at which it distributed 5,000 copies of Take Charge free to 14 Church- and school-based organisations. The participants were instructed by Elizabeth Ajanya, the Bible Society’s Youth and Programs Officer, on how to use the book, and many responded very positively to this publication and the Bible Society’s efforts to empower young people.

Responsible

“This initiative is designed to stimulate responsible behaviour among young people,” said General Secretary the Rev Dr Fred Odutola. “With HIV/AIDS still spreading like wildfire, especially in Africa,” he continued, “we have a duty as leaders to teach young people to take charge of their lives so as to stem the spread. Please make effective use of this book!”

For an earlier article about the Take Charge initiative, see World Report 390/35.

This report refers to project NIG004.

Based partly on an article in the Bible Society of Nigeria’s magazine, The Sower, April-June 2006. (WR 404/17 - 08.06)