100 GIRLS IN FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS

ABOUT 100 girl guides from Negri Sembilan and Kuala Lumpur shouted
"Belia benci dadah (Youth hate drugs)" with gusto as they started a
day-long programme in which they learnt about the subject.

The programme, themed "Drugs and HIV/AIDS", was conducted on Saturday
at Wisma Pandu Puteri in Jalan Pantai Baru, Kuala Lumpur. It was a
joint effort between the Girl Guides Association of Malaysia and the
Malaysian Youth Council.

There were seminars, exhibitions and quizzes in which the
participants, aged between 15 and 21, were encouraged to take part
interactively in order to achieve the HIV/AIDS badges introduced by
the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

Slide shows were used to help participants better understand the many
types of drugs and their consequences, as well as the causes of
HIV/AIDS, its symptoms and ways to prevent the disease.

"This programme also corresponds with two of the seven key messages of
WAGGGS in its re-branding exercise, which are: fight AIDS and let's
talk about the dangers of drugs," said the association's chief
commissioner, Salbiah Abdul Aziz.

"It is also closely associated with our recent celebrations of World
Thinking Day themed 'Adolescent Health'.

"We urge the youth to put priority on their health as it is a crucial
factor to enjoy a happy life and it is also the key to success in
life," she added.

Salbiah encouraged the participants to share what they learned about
the subject with their peers so that more people could fight AIDS
together and stay away from drugs.