Folksingers from across West Jaintia Hills took part in a folk singing competition to create awareness about rising cases of HIV/AIDS in Meghalaya.
The event was held at the Thomas Jones Synod College in Jowai and was organised by the Society for Urban and Rural Empowerment (SURE) and the Red Ribbon Campaign of the college.
SURE, through the project Link Worker Scheme (LWS), which is supported by the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society, works to link people living with HIV with the services provided by the government.
Altogether 12 participants – three groups and nine solo performances – took part in the competition.
The victorious acts were first prize winners Maximillia Chullai and Partners, second-placed Ki Mookhuri and third-placed Luminary Liam.
In a meeting held before the competition began, WJH Additional Deputy Commissioner DV Lyngdoh urged the youth present to learn about the AIDS problem which is prevailing in society. Dr E Laloo, the District Medical and Health Officer, also called upon the public to work unitedly to combat the disease.
Wilson Dohling from MACS, who is in charge of the Link Worker Scheme, enlightened the gathering about the rise of HIV cases in Meghalaya and the twin districts of Jaintia Hills in particular.
