News & Events:

Youth Friendly Resource Centre : Hybrid national Symposium/Conference

 

World AIDS Day

Observe worldwide on 1 December since 1998, World AIDS Day (WAD) is the moment of the year where millions of people  come together across the globe to commemorate people who lost their lives to HIV, applaud progress made in responding to the epidemic and recommit to ending the epidemic.

Join us this World AIDS Day, 1st December 2015 and… Put A Ribbon On It

… as evidence of your solidarity to the fight against HIV and AIDS, and our recommitment to ending the epidemic as we have just done with polio in Nigeria.

Simply wear a red ribbon. There is nowhere the red ribbon cannot go! Get crafty with it – put it on landmarks, people, clothes, buildings, food.

If you have any special skills use them. You really aren’t dressed without a red ribbon!

By wearing the universal symbol of HIV awareness – the red ribbon – you are showing solidarity with over 3 million people living with HIV in Nigeria – and the 34 million world-wide, thus sharing in the vision of achieving ‘Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths’

‘Getting to Zero’ is a must and this can only be possible with a renewed activism from all stakeholders. There must be a synergy among the government, civil society organizations and the private sector in bringing the epidemic to a halt. Getting an HIV test (accessing HCT) is imperative and our greatest arsenal in the fight against HIV and AIDS. It is a necessary first step to access prevention, care and treatment services including PMTCT.

Yes, in spite of the remarkable progress made so far, the challenge is still there – majority of those infected by HIV don’t even know – HIV thus, will continue to be invincible as long as many, especially the young people who are still largely unaware of their risks to HIV (vulnerable) continue to make HIV invisible by not knowing their HIV status. No one can win a war against an invisible enemy!

Accessing HCT is the only way one can be prompted to take measures to prevent being infected with HIV if one is not infected or access treatment and care if one is already infected, and by so doing helps to control the further spread HIV and reduce its complications. In addition, undergoing HCT helps break the culture of silence, fear and ignorance that drive stigma

Students undergoing HIV Counseling and Testing5

Dr C Aranotu monitoring HIV Counseling and Testing session

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Judah/Variety Night with Frank Edward

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Judah/Variety Night with Frank Edward

Theme: You Can Make A Difference

That some achieve great success is proof to all that others can achieve it as well”, said Abraham Lincoln of US.

youthcentre5

The Director, Dr Chinedum Aranotu with Frank U. Edward

The Judah/Variety Night was basically designed along this line. The event was planned not only to contribute to an enhanced friendly and learning environment, but also to stimulate the enterprising environment that provokes a paradigm shift among the UNN students that ‘You can make a difference’ now and after graduation. The event was not just about securing or creating a job after graduation, it’s about changing the mindset of UNN students and up coming graduates, that they can take control of their futures if they so desire. And there are opportunities for them to start now while in the university to think differently, think outside the box.

The guest artist – Frank Edward, a street Hawker before, now a celebrity, showed the students that any one who desires earnestly can be a world Changer; can make a difference in our society. For him to have moved from zero to hero; from a ‘nobody’ to a celebrity, any one who so believes, who desires to be a blessing and takes the responsibility to work out the ‘hero in you’, can and will surely make a difference.

The challenge is for the individual student not to allow his or her background to keep his or her back on the ground. One just needs to gain the essential skills and attitudes to participate actively in the society – solving problems and meeting needs. Successful people are simply problem solvers. They simply have resilience and great habits of telling themselves they can make a difference and commit their lives in using the ‘wealth within’ in proffering solutions to problems around. And as problem solvers they are wealth creator, for the reward for problems solved (service provided) is money. In addition, many in the process of proffering solutions discover their talents (giftedness) and become celebrities. They discovered to be noticed!

The guest Artist – Frank Edward and the three Patrons of the Center (YFRC) who interacted with the UNN students stressed that the heart of education is the education of the heart. Once one connects correctly with our Maker – the God Almighty, appreciates and puts into use the gracious gifts from Him, the individual would definitely rise above the negative labels (socioeconomic barriers) that keep a lot of people down and prevent them from drawing out the ‘greatness within’ them. They stressed that true success comes only when every generation continues to develop the next generation.

The Judah/Variety event was thus a wake-up call for the UNN students – the great lions and lionesses – they were challenged to start now to make the future they desire possible no matter their circumstances and backgrounds just like a lion can never eat grass no matter the economy of the jungle. If they plan their lives now, people won’t plan it for them tomorrow.

The event which was described by many as a great event and a huge success saw a first year student of fine Arts, Obinna Kalu ThankGod from Abia State securing a scholarship from the guest Artist, Frank Edward till his graduation and a promised monthly allowance. One Miss Asikey George of department of History was also promised help to develop her skills in music instruments. A call was made by the students for more of this kind of event as means in providing the practical and critical inspiration, support and inducement (ISI) to fighting increasing criminality and gangsterism among the young people in our educational institutions.

Report by Dr Chinedum S. Aranotu

 

World AIDS Day

Observe worldwide on 1 December since 1998, World AIDS Day (WAD) is the moment of the year where millions of people  come together across the globe to commemorate people who lost their lives to HIV, applaud progress made in responding to the epidemic and recommit to ending the epidemic.

Join us this World AIDS Day, 1st December 2015 and… Put A Ribbon On It

… as evidence of your solidarity to the fight against HIV and AIDS, and our recommitment to ending the epidemic as we have just done with polio in Nigeria.

Simply wear a red ribbon. There is nowhere the red ribbon cannot go! Get crafty with it – put it on landmarks, people, clothes, buildings, food.

If you have any special skills use them. You really aren’t dressed without a red ribbon!

By wearing the universal symbol of HIV awareness – the red ribbon – you are showing solidarity with over 3 million people living with HIV in Nigeria – and the 34 million world-wide, thus sharing in the vision of achieving ‘Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths’

‘Getting to Zero’ is a must and this can only be possible with a renewed activism from all stakeholders. There must be a synergy among the government, civil society organizations and the private sector in bringing the epidemic to a halt. Getting an HIV test (accessing HCT) is imperative and our greatest arsenal in the fight against HIV and AIDS. It is a necessary first step to access prevention, care and treatment services including PMTCT.

Yes, in spite of the remarkable progress made so far, the challenge is still there – majority of those infected by HIV don’t even know – HIV thus, will continue to be invincible as long as many, especially the young people who are still largely unaware of their risks to HIV (vulnerable) continue to make HIV invisible by not knowing their HIV status. No one can win a war against an invisible enemy!

Accessing HCT is the only way one can be prompted to take measures to prevent being infected with HIV if one is not infected or access treatment and care if one is already infected, and by so doing helps to control the further spread HIV and reduce its complications. In addition, undergoing HCT helps break the culture of silence, fear and ignorance that drive stigma

 

 

BIG BROTHER/BIG SISTER PROGRAMME

Now I am making an appeal, a very strong appeal to all Nigerians especially all Lions and Lionesses. I want all adult working Nigerians within and outside Nigeria to find time to visit their alma mater or get up-to-date information on the state of the facilities there and what you can do to help.

Donate equipments, needed materials or raise funds to support on going projects, set up scholarships and awards. Do something no matter how small to make a difference in the schools you graduated from.

I also call on corporate organizations to invest in education as part of their social responsibility programme. Give back to the society where you business is based. Build schools, hostels. If you can not build schools or hostels, then renovate the existing ones. If you cannot renovate then donate needed equipments or other essential things that will help the university provide maximum service delivery and training of highly knowledgeable workforce. But what you should not do is simply do nothing.