title: Young people take action.
abstract: Many members of the AIDS Challenge Youth Club in Uganda have had direct and distressing experiences of AIDS, having lost parents or close relatives.  Members are aged 13 to 25 years old, and the group meets regularly to share experience and ideas, learn about AIDS, and support others.  During training courses, counseling sessions and club meetings, members have built up their confidence and self-esteem.  They are open and honest about their family situations, and able to support others in affected families.  They talk very freely about relationships, friendships, sex and condom use.  Free condoms are also available.  Club members are encouraging better communication with their parents.  During recent discussions, these issues were raised.  Young people said they had difficulties in talking about sex with their parents, and recognized their own responsibility to start communication by discussing neutral subjects such as work or school.  Above all, young people wanted to live with hope, not anxiety and fear. Parents said that although traditionally they are not open with their children, they wanted to develop more honest relationships. But they felt that young people themselves were not open with them.  They did not want to tell children what to do, but to help them make decisions, while respecting their views.  Parents felt there is a need to build confidence in teenagers, by involving them in family decisions.  They also felt that it is essential to give education about sex and condoms, and that not doing so could result in a young person's death.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; D000349:Africa; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D000351:Africa, Eastern; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D003142:Communication; D003376:Counseling; D003906:Developing Countries; D004194:Disease; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005195:Family Relations; D015658:HIV Infections; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006285:Health Planning; D010379:Peer Group; D014454:Uganda; D014777:Virus Diseases
keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Africa; Africa South Of The Sahara; Clinic Activities; Communication; Counseling; Developing Countries; Diseases; Eastern Africa; English Speaking Africa; Family And Household; Family Characteristics; Family Relationships; Hiv Infections; Knowledge Sources; Peer Groups; Program Activities; Programs; Uganda; Viral Diseases