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Black youth in our area will be the focus of an AIDS educational program called Project M.O.R.E. (Minority Outreach Education). The project is being sponsored by the Rappahannock-Rapidan Health District which serves Rappahannock, Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison and Orange counties.
It was among eight of 21 proposals statewide selected by the Virginia Department of Health to be funded through $200,000 appropriated by the General Assembly. Of fhat amount, $9,000 has been granted bv the state to fund Project M.O.R.E.
The project was inspired by similar efforts of Rev. Nan Brown of Fluvanna County, and conceived through the joint efforts of health educator Sarah Jane Lee and nursing supervisor Brenda Jeffries. The project is aimed at educating black youth before they make life choices that endanger themselves. '' - “National statistics show one out of every four persons with AIDS is black, although blacks make up only 12 percent of America’s population,” Ms. Lee reported. !■■ “Young black women and their babies are the fastest growing segment of Americans with AIDS. This is because of intra-venous drug use and sex with partners who are IV drug users. The AIDS virus, called Human Immune Deficiency Virus, is spread through blood to blood contact and the semen of HIV infected men. .
Many victims are teenagers when infected with the HIV virus. To date 67 persons in Northwest Virginia have developed AIDS — by 19% this figure will be 1,271 persons. Twenty times those number of persons are HIV infected, according to health service estimates.
“The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta reports the highest risk for HIV infection currently is a 17year-old black female,” Mrs. Jeffries said. “It’s a very frightening statistic; however, the good news is that AIDS is actually hard to get. Education can help our youth avoid this deadly disease. It’s a case of ignorance kills.”
The project will be manned by volunteer teams recruited from local black churches, Ms. Lee explained. These volunteer teams will work together to plan educational programs in their churches and community to reach at least 2,000 youths. “The project also hopes to increase the response and compassion of the community towards all individuals with AIDS and their families,” she said. A resource library is being prepared to help volunteers to get the message across.
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