“Protect the Goal”, the global HIV advocacy campaign which is hinged on the idea of footballers doing all that they can to prevent their opponent from scoring them has had a successful run in Ghana since its launch.
The campaign runs with three key messages which are meant to keep the youth on alert and to try as much as possible to be on alert in moments of poor judgment.
The three key messages are use condoms, know your HIV status and reduce sexual partners.
For the third Wednesday running, various personalities have walked to the UNAIDS Office in Accra to pledge their support to the campaign and to openly make the declaration that they will do all that they can to prevent an HIV infection.
On Wednesday April 2nd 2014, among the personalities who signed the pledge were Kokui Selormey and Patrice Amegashie of This Morning on Viasat One, Vivian Kai Mensah and Nana Boakye Yiadom of Citi Business News, Richard Asante, the Youtube video sensation behind the “Kalybos” character, Moro Awudu of Radio XYZ, Tony Baffour, an Ex Black Stars Player, Owusu Mante, aka DJ Flexy of YFM.
Others included; Jefferson Sackey, the International Correspondent for the Multimedia Group, the General Manager of Multichoice Ghana, Cecil Sunkwa Mills, Nana K. Duah, Creative Director of Oxygen, Nana Nyarko Boateng of the Gird Center, one of the very best DJs in Ghana at the moment, DJ Mensah and actresses Edith Faalong, Vivian Achor and Ama Ampofo among a host of other personalities.
The pledging was hosted by the UNAIDS Country Director to Ghana, Girmay Haile and the Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Angela El-Adas.
Before pledging, the concept of Protect the Goal is explained to the personalities.
The three key messages are shared with them and the general response to HIV in Ghana is shared with them as well so they will have vital information about HIV and to fully understand what it is they are pledging for.
This pledge signing will be done every Wednesday until the World Cup at the UNAIDS Office in Accra.
By: Sakyiwaa Mensah, UNAIDS Office