The PYP Spread the Xmas Cheer Campaign

May 23, 2011 - PRLog -- A group of Positive Youths, comprising 10 young people will be travelling to Zimbabwe for 2 weeks in December 2011 for the PYP Xmas Cheer Campaign.  The volunteers’ trip will deliberately coincide with the Christmas holidays as their intention is to “spread some Christmas Cheer” during the festive season.

The group intends to engage in some youth-led campaigns throughout the Southern African country with a particular focus on the rural areas. Zimbabwe is slowly recovering from one of the worst economic crises in recent memory which has left the majority of the populace struggling to meet basic needs such as food, water, shelter, clothing and education.

Shirley Michael, the PYP Principal Youth Officer, who will be travelling with the group said, “The fact these youths have volunteered to give up their luxurious Christmas celebrations with their families to engage on this eye opening trip, should be commended to the highest possible order”. Shirley also highlighted the fact that all the volunteers, through their families, would be funding their travel to Zimbabwe. Currently they are engaged in fund raising activities for the various campaigns they will be conducting there. These include the

Dignity Restored campaign;- where they will be distributing sanitary products to youths in various parts of the country and listening to how people their age manage to survive without what they themselves term the very basic of needs.
The PYP Football Tournament comprising of numerous teams from under-privileged backgrounds as a way of interacting and spreading not only the Christmas cheer but some positive messages about health, education and careers as well. The group intends to participate in the tournament and they are very serious about bringing the trophy home with them. They are yet to start training though.
The Street Youths campaign which will distribute sleeping bags to young people that sleep in the dangerous streets in various towns in Zimbabwe.
Speaking about the visit, Tareq Yusuf (19) of Enfield, London, said whilst he was very excited, he was also equally apprehensive as all he knew about Zimbabwe is all the negative issues that he’s heard through the press. “My dad thinks I’m insane to embark on this trip, but I’m glad he’s still willing to fund it as I believe that in addition to giving back to those communities we will visit, this will be a huge character building exercise for me and my fellow volunteers. Shirley has assured us that as long as we remain sensible, we will be very safe there”

Gloria Khupe (23) from Luton, Bedfordshire, who is currently studying Social Work at Buckinghamshire New University, is equally excited by the trip. She had this to say, “Although Zimbabwe is my home country, I haven’t been back there for nearly 10 years and I’m very excited about what we’re going to see there. I hope to apply what I am currently studying in a real life situation and if a single person benefits from our interaction, I will be immensely gratified. I also hope I still remember all the nice places my mum used to take me, so I can show my fellow volunteers around in between the campaigns”.

To support this campaign, people can text PYPC14 £5 to 70070 and an amount £5 will be deducted from your balance towards this worthy campaign. You  can choose any amount from £1 up to £10 to donate.

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The Positive Youth Programmes mission is to stimulate, engage and empower youth through careers advice, sexual reproductive health & human rights education in an effort to actively create opportunities that will inspire them to make informed decisions.