YOUNG people would not need to go through the harrowing experiences of living with HIV\AIDS if they would abstain from pre-marital sex and educate themselves properly on the disease before getting into intimate relations with the opposite sex at the appropriate time.

That?s the message Miss Ghana 2001 Selasi Kwawu has been carrying to young people in second-cycle institutions since the start of her HIV\AIDS campaign a few months ago. Her aim is to reach out to them in six regions on the same theme of ?Abstinence, A Better Choice For An HIV\AIDS-Free Life.? She has so far been to the Eastern, Volta and Western Regions and was recently in the Central Region with her campaign team.

Students and staff of Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School at Saltpond were very welcoming and keen to listen to her. She explained to the girls that it is better to grow up into useful citizens than risk HIV\AIDS infection through pre-marital sex.

A member of Miss Kwawu?s campaign team, Mr. Kofi Bekoe, told the students of how he came to contract HIV and the uncomfortable situations he has to cope with now as a result of his situation. He told the students that they could avoid all the inconveniences he is going through by heeding the advice to abstain from pre-marital sex. His testimony was so moving that some of the girls cried.

Students of St. Augustine?s College also received Miss Kwaku and her team warmly. A resource person from the Regional Health Administration Office, Ms Stella Dodoo, took the students through certain essential things to know about HIV\AIDS.

While in Cape Coast, Miss Kwawu visited the New Life Orphanage run by Gospel Express Ministries where she presented some food items and soap for the children.

Miss Ghana 2001?s campaign is being supported by UNICEF, Mechanical Lloyd, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Allied Oil and others.