Aid in Action
USAID and Ministry of Health Launch of JA-STYLE
Results of youth naming contest announced
Kingston, Jamaica |
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
On February 8, 2006, the U.S. Government, working through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MOH), formally announced JA-STYLE, or Jamaica’s Solution to Youth Lifestyle and Empowerment, at a press briefing. The project will work island-wide to improve the healthy lifestyles of young people by addressing issues of reproductive health and HIV/AIDS, as well as violence prevention and substance abuse.
The Honorable Minister of Health John Junor discussed the strong need for efforts to build resiliency among youth and commended USAID for supporting such an innovative, comprehensive approach to finding solutions to the challenges that Jamaica’s youth face today. The goals of JA-STYLE include a decrease in teenage pregnancy, increase in the average age of sexual debut, and increase in condom use among targeted youth. It also aims to decrease substance abuse and the percentage of youth who are involved in physical violence.
USAID Mission Director, Karen Turner, discussed the importance of youth in Jamaica’s development and described the adolescent healthy lifestyles project. JA-STYLE seeks to improve the quality and accessibility of health services for young people, improve policy related to youth, deliver healthy lifestyle messages, strengthen the ability of youth-serving non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to offer healthy lifestyles activities, and increase community support to youth. For example, JA-STYLE will award grants to rural NGOs to do targeted work in parenting and life skills training for youth.
“The young people in Jamaica are in a crisis,” Turner said. “If we do not educate and empower adolescents with the knowledge and skills necessary for them to lead healthy lives, then, undoubtedly, the educational achievement and future of this country will be in jeopardy.”
Ms. Turner also expressed the importance of youth inclusion in efforts to address their issues and cited JA-STYLE’s naming contest as an example of this. The project name, JA-STYLE, was created by Jason Diggs Whyte from Clarendon. Mr. Diggs Whyte was awarded a cell phone for his contribution to the project by Dr. Deanna Ashley, Director of Health Promotion and Protection at the Ministry of Health. Special recognition also was given to students from Holy Trinity High School for their contribution to JA-STYLE.
The briefing, held at the MOH, also included musical and dramatic performances by youth. Area Youth Foundation’s A Y Krew, RISE Life Management, Children for Community Change (3Cs) and Ashe Performing Arts Foundation presented “edutainment” performances on reproductive health, HIVAIDS, substance abuse, and violence prevention, respectively. Children First presented positive messages demonstrating their dedication to leading healthy lives in the form of a silent, peaceful march. The Sea View Gardens Marching Band provided musical entertainment and performed the national anthem.