Young Africa
Children, teenagers and young people constitute the AIDS generation. Having always lived in a world with AIDS, they do not know anything different. Yet young people are the hope for the future. An AIDS-free future can only be achieved through them. Success in helping the young to remain AIDS-free is success against the epidemic. Today’s youth generation is the largest in history. Young people under the age of 15 comprise almost half the world’s population. In Africa the population is younger still, with more than half under the age of 18.
The Redemptorists identify young people as a priority. The Redemptorist’s acknowledge that young people are amongst the most disadvantaged and abandoned.
In each of our country programmes, where we have missions, the Redemptorists organise and implement youth ministry programmes, providing voice and opportunity to young people. We estimate that on a weekly basis we work with 80,000 young people in Africa and Madagascar on a weekly basis.
Redemptorist Youth Training Centres:
Redemptorist Youth Programme Approach
We serve young people in the following ways:
- Delivering catechetical programmes;
- Providing educational opportunities;
- Delivering youth leadership training programmes;
- Providing facilities and personnel to run youth groups involving sport and music and faith and interests and hobbies;
- Supporting skills training programmes;
- Providing and running youth centres;
- Delivering poverty reduction programmes for marginalised youth;
- Facilitating their voice in pastoral councils and community structures;
- Training youth leaders;
- Delivering HIV/AIDS prevention programmes;
- Offering Christ and other great Christians as role models;
In our Strategic Plan for 2012-2014, we are committed to strengthening our approach to HIV/AIDS prevention, standardising our approach and training personnel to be familiar with the best international practice available.