UNA-USA's HERO Youth Ambassador Program Empowers U.S. Teens While Assisting HIV/AIDS-Affected Communities In Africa

HERO, an awareness-building and
fundraising campaign of the United Nations Association of the United States
of America (UNA-USA), dedicated to helping support children living in
HIV/AIDS-affected communities in sub-Saharan Africa, announced today it
will launch a summer 2006 pilot program taking a select group of teens to
spend a month with their peers in Namibia and South Africa to help build
and improve schools. The HERO campaign, in partnership with USAID (United
States Agency for International Development), strives to better the lives
of children who have been orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS by
providing holistic school-based support.


The idea behind HERO is simple yet comprehensive: create a healthy
learning environment and strengthen schools' responses to their most
vulnerable learners, thereby helping to fight the effects of the HIV/AIDS
crisis. President of UNA-USA William H. Luers states, "When UNA-USA created
HERO, we made sure to include programs to directly engage young Americans
in tangibly addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa."


Currently, HERO works with in-country partners to support 38 pilot
schools in Ethiopia, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia. Each school is
provided with a comprehensive "HERO Package" of support, divided into two
strategic developmental stages that include feeding programs, repair and
construction of classrooms, installation of toilets and clean water
systems, the provision of books and school resources and even visiting
nurses and counselors.


"The desire to educate one's child is a commonality that parents from
around the world share," says HERO Special Programs Ambassador Andrea
Kerzner. Her two children will participate in the pilot program this
summer. "As a South African, it is important to me to give back to the
country I was raised in, as well as to instill in my own children the
notion of global, social responsibility at an early age. This pilot program
is an excellent vehicle to expose teens to the problems facing Africa in a
very real way. By working in schools and communities that have been hit
hard by the HIV/AIDS crisis, these teens will hopefully form a life-long
bond to the people and nations they are helping."


Participating students will take on the role of HERO Youth Ambassadors
by organizing fundraisers within their schools and communities. Prior to
traveling, each of the 12 students will become immersed in Namibian and
South Africa culture, history and current affairs in order to develop a
better understanding of the people and region that they will be visiting.
This includes a scheduled group meeting with officials at the Namibian and
South African Missions to the United Nations as well as an introductory
Zulu language class.


While at the HERO schools in Namibia and South Africa, Youth
Ambassadors will help build classrooms, install kitchens for in-schools
feeding programs, and paint existing structures. The students will also
engage in cross- cultural sharing of art, sports and recreational
activities with one another.















"There is so much to be gleaned on both sides through this pilot
endeavor," says HERO Program Manager Susan Fox. "The children in these
African nations have so much they can teach and contribute to their
American peers and vice versa. This is a wonderful opportunity to start
breaking down barriers, dispel stereotypes and embrace roles as global
citizens."


About UNA-USA:


The United Nations Association of the United States of America (About
UNA-USA) is a center for innovative programs to engage Americans in issues
of global concern, from education and HIV/AIDS to peace, security and
international law. Its educational and humanitarian campaigns, including
teaching students in urban schools, clearing minefields and providing
school-based support for children living in HIV/AIDS-affected communities
in Africa, allow people to make a global impact at the local level. A
not-for-profit organization, UNA-USA encourages United States leadership in
the United Nations and is a part of the World Federation of United Nations
Associations.


About USAID:


The United States Agency for International Development extends
assistance to countries engaging in democratic reforms, recovering from
disaster and trying to escape poverty.


About USAID's Support of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS
Relief:


The United States Agency for International Development has provided
economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more the 40 years. USAID
is one of the U.S. Government partnership agencies implementing President
George W. Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the largest single
commitment ever by any nation for an international health initiative
dedicated to a single disease -- a five-year, $15 billion, multifaceted
approach to combating the disease in more than 120 countries around the
world. The Emergency Plan supports critical programs for orphans and
vulnerable children (OVC), which strengthens the capacity of families and
communities to care for children in their midst. In fiscal year 2005, the
Emergency Plan supported care for 1.2 million orphans and vulnerable
children, in addition to OVC receiving antiretroviral treatment through
other U.S. Government programs


United Nations Association of the United States of America

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