See Indian Man Who Cycled To Naija Thru 110 Countries With A Message - Travel

See Indian Man Who Cycled To Naija Thru 110 Countries With A Message - Travel - Nairaland

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See Indian Man Who Cycled To Naija Thru 110 Countries With A Message by Everfrank(op): 8:29pm On Dec 06, 2015*

An Indian national, Mr Somen Debnath, on
Thursday said that he arrived Lagos on
bicycle after visiting 110 other countries in
the last 11 years through same means.The
News Agency of Nigeria reports that
Debnath revealed in Lagos that Nigeria was
among the 191 countries he would be
visiting to promote Indian culture.
He added that the tour was also to create
awareness on the effects HIV/AIDS among
young people.
“The whole essence of my ‘Around the World
Bicycle Tour’ programme is to promote Indian
culture and raise global awareness on HIV/
AIDS through the education of young men and
women worldwide.
As a youth myself, I strongly believe that youths
in every community globally can make the much
desired change we all need.
I am in Lagos to sensitise young Nigerians in
universities and colleges on what they should
know about HIV/AIDS. So far in the last 11
years, I have visited 111 countries including
Nigeria on my bicycle.”
Debnath said that he started the HIV/AIDS
awareness campaign in his hometown in
Sundarbans, India, in May 2004, with visits
to NGOs, schools, colleges, universities,
commercial sex workers and restaurants.He
said that he had visited some students of
universities and colleges in Lagos to create
awareness among them on how to avoid
being infected with HIV/AIDS.
Debnath , a graduate of Zoology from the
University of Calcutta, India, said that it was
imperative for young Nigerians to abstain
from unprotected sex, but to engage in safe
sex by using condoms.
He also enjoined Nigerians not to stigmatise
or discriminate against persons living with
HIV/AIDS (PLHA)in their communities, but
to always show them love and care.He,
however, said that his tour had been fraught
with dangers and challenges.These include;
being held captive by the Taliban in
Afghanistan, robbed six times in Central
Asia to being beaten eight times by
skinheads.
Debnath said that during his tour, he also
had to contend with wild animals including
Rhinos, Elephants, Cheetahs, Pythons and
other life-threatening ones.He commended
the Indian Government, Indians in the
Diaspora and people in the host countries
for supporting his global HIV/AIDS
campaign tour.
http://africanleadership.co.uk/blog/?p=5080