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WASHINGTON, DC, August 26, 2004 — A recently conducted evaluation deemed PSI/Malawi's Youth Alert! program to be innovative, sensible and highly replicable, encouraging the exportation of PSI's successful youth HIV/AIDS and sexually-transmitted infection (STI) prevention behavior change program. The review assessed programmatic success to date, drew lessons learned and developed preliminary plans to replicate Youth Alert! in other PSI programs. Funded by USAID, PSI/Malawi's Youth Alert! is an interpersonal communication and mass media program that targets youth aged 10-20 with the objectives of raising awareness of HIV/STI transmission and prevention, improving personal risk assessment for HIV/STI infection, improving self-esteem and promoting abstinence. Teams of Youth Alert! peer educators promote messages of self-worth and responsibility, and offer youth a forum for frank discussion about their dreams and obstacles such as unintended pregnancy and STIs. Youth Alert! touts the slogan "My Life, My Future" encouraging youth to make healthy choices. The Youth Alert! concept was found to be excellent and capable of replication anywhere after careful pre-testing for regional acceptance and subsequent adaptation. The Youth Alert! program is an application of a youth brand across various communication channels including radio programs, a magazine and printed materials all of which were found to be generally easy and cost-effective to replicate. — Sarah Wyss, AIDSMark, PSI/Washington
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