Yesterday was Youth Day, a national holiday.  All of the schools practice for the big day and the children come out in their best uniforms to march in front of a grand stand filled with local dignitaries.  There are prizes for best formations and outstanding students are honored.  Project Hope was there set up for free HIV testing and was also represented by children in the Project Hope sponsored Health Clubs that we featured earlier in this blog.  PH staff and volunteers moved through the crowd of students encouraging everyone to get tested, to know their status.  The final counts were not in yet this morning but when we left the field yesterday, over 150 youths had been tested with 2 positive results thus far.  One is too many and Project Hope is dedicated to raising HIV/AIDS awareness, eradicating the stigma attached to HIV status, and providing free testing and counseling.   The results of their work can be seen in just the last few years.  HIV/AIDS in this area is now 6.7% of the population.  A few years back it was 12% and in 2003, approximately 22%.  Project Hope’s involvement in schools is saving the next generation from life threatening illnesses that have devastated previous and current generations, leaving many children without parents.  A Call to Mercy is proud to partner with the caring, dedicated and skilled organization that is Project Hope, TSSF, Njinikom,Cameroon.