The seven years civil war (1990-1997) has destroyed the socio-economic life of the Liberian people. However, there are still repeated outbreaks of hostilities in the north and northwest of the country. The crisis resulted in a shattered economy, high unemployment and increasing levels of poverty. During this period of hostilities, many youths were forced to migrate to foreign countries under little or no supervision. Some of them were separated from their parents and guardians, thus exposing them to grow under degrading circumstances. While in exile, many youths were sexually abused; sexual favors were exchanged indiscriminately for food and shelter. Some of these countries of refuge were said to have a much higher rate of the AIDS epidemic especially among the commoners with whom these youths mostly interacted. More over, there was an influx of different nationals into the country in an effort to assist in restoring peace and sanity. Many of these foreigners came from countries of higher incidence of HIV/AIDS and had the economic power therefore many youths were lured into having sexual relationships without preconditions. The virus called the human immune deficiency virus (HIV) whose mode of transmission has not been understood properly by most of our youths is threatening the lives of thousands of the youthful population, due principally to their adventurous and impoverished life style. HIV causes AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) which kills by damaging the body defense against other diseases. There is no known cure. Various statistical reports, including the epidemic of HIV/AIDS, have suggested that the incident of the disease is on the increase and the youth population is the most vulnerable. According to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs (MPEA) 54% of Liberia's 2.6 million population is below 20 years. Children less than 15 years account for 43.1% while children less than five years constitute 16.7% and children less than 0-9 years accounts for 75% of the total child population. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MHSW) reports that the AIDS rate in Liberia is 5.7%. Accordingly, this has doubled the 1994 report. The MHSW adds that among the 32,572 who volunteered to be tested as of November 2000, the following was ascertained: 2% visa applicants, 11.2% `B patients, 9.7% soldiers, 16.9% out-patients, 29% in-patients, 4.2% drivers, 4.1% teachers, 8.2% marketers, 9.4% house wives, 1.5% house workers, 3.3% farmers, 4.2% drivers, and 5.2% students. The report further reveals that 16.1% constitute divorced persons, 4.7% married persons, 9.1% separated persons, and 7.1% single people. Currently 88 AIDS patients are being treated at one of the leading hospitals in the country. From 1997 to present 144 cases have been reported. Such a gloomy situation, coupled with the startling revelation that the dreadful disease is increasingly alarmingly in Montserrado and Bong Counties signals an immediate need for a vigorous public awareness campaign to reduce the AIDS virus in these counties. The only hopeful option in saving the youthful population is to intensify awareness campaign to the level that each youth will know substantially enough about the devastating effect of the disease or at least the mode of transmission and safeguard against the infection. If AIDS is not met with a positive constructive public awareness campaign, it would affect the country's growth and development; numbers of babies would be born with HIV and thousands of uninfected youths would be made orphans.

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