Harare — THE Budding Writers' Association of Zimbabwe is launching a new HIV and Aids awareness project targeting young artistes.

The programme, titled Youth HIV and Aids Confidence Building Project, will be launched next month to educate upcoming writers on how to protect themselves from the incurable condition.

BWAZ programmes manager Mr Beaven Tapureta noted with concern the high prevalence of the disease among budding writers, saying it was ironic since most of them write about HIV and Aids.

"It's sad that it is the very same artists who write and sing about issues concerning the pandemic who are dying from the disease. Our artistes should begin to practice what they preach and we hope to empower young artistes through this initiative," he said.

The programme will also be carried out through workshops, writing competitions and poetry performances in schools to equip young people with prevention skills at grassroots level.

BWAZ intends to have HIV positive artistes conduct the workshops for young writers to get real-life experiences.

The project, initiated by the association's director Miss Dudziro Nhengu, is envisaged to instill confidence in young artistes andencourage them to make the right choices when it comes to sex.

"We want to avoid preaching since we understand that abstinence can be too moralistic while condoms could be shunned by some cultural practices," Lawrence Hoba, who is an intern at the association.

People living with HIV will be invited to share their experiences with the young artistes at the association's offices where pamphlets, books and other material will be used.