| PPU Press Statement |
| “The real interest of any Ugandan should be to love Uganda and not one’s tribe only; our prosperity is based on the contribution of every Ugandan”, President Museveni has said. He was last evening meeting with a group of top managers of the Education for Life/Youth Alive organization along with their support members at State House, Entebbe. The Education for Life/Youth Alive Movement which started in Mbarara Archdiocese 9 years ago, aims at helping young people, through various educational programmes, to face the HIV/AIDS crisis through behavior change. The Movement favours the virtue of abstinence for the unmarried and fidelity for the married. Its members undertake to commit themselves to adopting this life style in the name of their Christian faith.
The Movement prioritises “education” as an important aspect in the prevention of AIDS and has been able to register outstanding success through seminars and awareness workshops on AIDS and HIV/AIDS prevention. It has also held counselling sessions and education workshops, established youth and parent counseling centre where families can go for help concerning AIDS or other problems that they youth have to face, street corner evangelization and initiated life skills programmes for Primary and Secondary Schools, among others. According to Church sources, the Youth Alive Movement, which is the brainchild of Missionaries of Africa, has received the approval, support and backing of many Catholic Dioceses throughout Eastern and Central Africa. Welcoming the group to State House, President Museveni saluted them for the faith-oriented work they are doing, especially their support for the fight against corruption and the revival of morals right from the earliest years of a child. Quoting from the Bible, the President said the Holy Book’s two greatest commandments ‘love your God with all your mind, heart, soul, body and love your neighbor as you love yourself’, Mr. Museveni also called for love of one’s country. He informed his guests of the emphasis on the principles of the National Resistance Movement which only took into account one’s actions and had nothing to do with tribalism, religion and gender. He said that this trend that was set by the NRM has enabled Uganda to get to where it is now. The Patron and founder of the Education for Life Group, Rev Fr. Pontiano Peter Betunguura said the organization mainly aims at educating the nation on the dignity of God, love for man and the nation’s holistic development through combating immorality and corruption. He thanked President Museveni for his initiative in bringing peace to Uganda as a whole and also for political awakening of all people especially the youth and women. He expressed the group’s commitment to the holistic development of the nation through education based on God’s love, patriotism and other basic values in life. END. |