Implementing partner: Aro Mozambique

ARO Juvenil was formed in 1993, and was officially registered in 1998 as an organisation to promote the interests of the youths and young citizens in Mozambique.

This was out of the realisation that although the government made plans for young people or even set up departments to look after their interests, these were rarely put into practice. ARO therefore focuses on community projects that involve the youths in the community, in schools, and at tertiary level. The organisation has got chapters in several provinces, but Hivos focus is on ARO Pemba.

ARO Pemba focuses mainly on addressing the issues of HIV/AIDS among the youths in and out of school. The organisation realised that youths are a very vulnerable group to HIV infection if they are not provided with adequate information and education timeously. Information on HIV/AIDS and strategies for awareness and prevention is lacking in schools and communities, and ARO's objective is to disseminate this information in a manner that the young people can readily understand and accept.

The activities of the organisation include the formation of (HIV/AIDS) Information Centres in the communities, and Anti-AIDS Clubs at schools and at students boarding houses. Influential people in the communities are also trained in educating the youths on the dangers and the reality of HIV/AIDS as a way of promoting peer education. ARO also produces and distributes charts warning the youths and the communities against indulging in unsafe sexual practices.

These activities are targeted at the youths in schools and their teachers, at the youths out of schools, and at the communities in general. The targeted areas are both rural and urban communities. Hivos support is motivated by the fact that ARO Pemba has identified young people as a very vulnerable group to HIV infection if they are not adequately informed and educated on the dangers of the disease.

Aro Juvenil recently change their name to Aro Mozambique.