The Red Ribbon Club Zunheboto Government College along with Tokavi Swu, MD Cornerstone Higher Secondary School Zunheboto on September 18. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Zunheboto | September 18
Jenny Kent, Nodal Officer of the Red Ribbon Club (RRC) at Zunheboto Government College, highlighted the three core objectives and activities of the club during a special awareness program held at Cornerstone higher secondary School Zunheboto on September 18.
Addressing students and faculty, she said that the primary aim of the Red Ribbon Club is to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, especially among young people. "The first objective is to spread awareness on HIV and AIDS to the community people from all walks of life with special emphasis on the youth," she stated.
The second objective, she noted, is to combat the social stigma associated with HIV and AIDS. “For those infected, it is not just the physical ailments but the social stigma that truly breaks their spirit. We must fight against this discrimination,” she added.
The third key focus of the RRC is to promote voluntary blood donation. Kent highlighted that while the club organizes various seminars and educational programs inviting experts and researchers to speak on the importance of blood donation, students are never pressured into donating. “It is completely voluntary. Each semester, we have many students with a heart to serve and save lives. This semester alone, seven students from our college have donated blood at the district hospital directly impacting families and saving lives,” she shared.
Kent further explained that the core functionality of the programme is part of a larger statewide Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaign organized and sponsored by the Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
“Our mission is to reach as many people as possible, especially the youth and draw attention to the urgent need to raise awareness on HIV and AIDS. Prevention is the best step forward in this fight,” she stressed.
As part of the day’s activities, students performed a flash mob dance and a short play centered on HIV awareness. The play was performed in the Sutsa dialect, reflecting the college’s commitment to cultural consciousness and local identity. “We believe in promoting our indigenous dialect. Whether in Nagaland or any other state, preserving and emphasizing our local languages is important,” Kent explained.
In her concluding remarks, Kent expressed concern over Nagaland’s HIV statistics. “Nagaland ranks second in the country in terms of HIV positive cases, just after Mizoram. If we were ranked second in cleanliness or literacy, we could be proud. But being second in HIV cases is alarming. We need to understand the reasons behind these statistics and work together to fight back. That is the purpose of today’s event,” she said.
