On July 1, a group of local teens went door-to-door in Chattanooga's Harriet Tubman Housing Development to educate their peers about HIV/AIDS.

The teenagers are affiliated with the Harriet Tubman Express, a joint venture of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department and the Tennessee Department of Human Services. HTE formed the Uganda Project, named for the African nation that is making progress against HIV/AIDS, as a way for the teens to hold peer-led HIV/AIDS education and prevention sessions.

Young people are increasingly affected by HIV/AIDS, with those under age 25 representing half of all new annual HIV infections. Within that group, African Americans account for around 56 percent of new cases. In Hamilton County, approximately 51 percent of all reported HIV cases are African-American.

The Uganda Project teens prepared for several weeks leading up to the awareness outreach, holding planning sessions and developing an organizational plan. "The Uganda Project not only benefits the housing development, but it also grooms these teens for future community leadership positions," said Belinda Tolliver, a public health mentor for the group.

"Community reception of the Uganda Project was about 95 percent to 99 percent positive," said Miika Montgomery, an intervention social worker. "Most people here thanked the teens for doing something positive for their community." Participants hope others in Chattanooga will realize that HIV/AIDS needs to be addressed by the community at-large.

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