Jose Narciso Melchor C Sescon MD DPOGS, Marvin Rivera, Archie Rivera
Remedios AIDS Foundation Inc - Youth Zone, Manila, Philippines

YOUTH ZONE: AN ADOLESCENT FRIENDLY CENTER

OBJECTIVE:

To provide an accessible, affordable, non-judgmental and confidential services to adolescents.

BACKGROUND:

The Youth Zone is a shopping mall based center targeting adolescent regardless of their HIV status. This has been conceptualized after a series of consultations, meetings and dialogues with the affected group. It is a venue for alternative education where the young can be empowered to fight for their reproductive health and rights thus, helping them reduce their risk of getting STDs and HIV. The center is managed by young people working around with trained peer facilitators and educators. This is also a very good venue where young HIV positive individual can drop by to interact with their peers, give testimonial and gain support from other young individuals.

RESULTS:

Young people have their rights. They have the right to access health and education services that would help them in reducing their risks. In the process of implementing the project, the target clients must be part of the implementing team.