**********************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Advisory Council on AIDS:
Three youth groups were awarded the 2001 Best Project Awards of the "Youth Action on AIDS" Funding Scheme today (February 23) for their innovative projects on AIDS education and publicity.
The three groups were the Student Councelling Team of Buddist Wong Fung Ling College; Fong Shu Chuen Children and Youth Centre Cum Study / Reading Room of Hong Kong Children and Youth Service; and Buddist Chi Hong Children Memorial College.
They were selected from among 20 youth groups which participated in the scheme in 2001. With a total subsidy of $138,420, projects comprising training courses, educational programmes, exhibitions and competitions were organised by the 20 groups, enabling more than 30 000 young persons to learn more about AIDS and its impact on the community.
Officiating at the prize presentation ceremony today were TV artiste Mr Choy Tsz-kin and Mrs Diana Wong, the Chairperson of the AIDS Prevention and Care Committee of the Hong Kong Advisory Council on AIDS.
The "Youth Action on AIDS" Funding Scheme is run by the Task Force on Youth of the AIDS Prevention and Care Committee with the aim of encouraging and mobilising young people to organise educational and publicity projects on AIDS.
Youth groups comprising at least five members each are invited to take part in theˇ§Youth Action on AIDSˇ¨Funding Scheme for 2002. Each successful group applicant will be given a subsidy of not more than $8,000 to implement its proposed programme.
Copies of a leaflet on the funding scheme and application forms are available at the Red Ribbon Centre on the Second Floor of Wang Tau Hom Jockey Club Clinic, 200 Junction Road East, Lok Fu, Kowloon. For enquiries, please contact Mr Leung Fuk-chak of the Red Ribbon Centre at 2304 6268 during office hours.
More information on AIDS and AIDS educational programmes is available at Department of Health's AIDS website at <http://www.aids.gov.hk>.
End/Saturday, February 23, 2002
NNNN
