E-Paper
HIV ?fighters? interact with ?World?
IN A first-of-its kind initiative, NGO Sarvajan Kalyan Samiti organised an interactive session of working women and female community health workers with foreign dignitaries including Shalini Eddens, Director Education and Training Oakland, California USA and Clayton A Bond, Second Secretary Cultural Affairs US Embassy, here on Friday. The extent of mental and social trauma faced by HIV positive women and how 'World' organisation was helping them to lead a healthy and 'positive' life was discussed at the interactive session.
IN A first-of-its kind initiative, NGO Sarvajan Kalyan Samiti organised an interactive session of working women and female community health workers with foreign dignitaries including Shalini Eddens, Director Education and Training Oakland, California USA and Clayton A Bond, Second Secretary Cultural Affairs US Embassy, here on Friday. The extent of mental and social trauma faced by HIV positive women and how 'World' organisation was helping them to lead a healthy and 'positive' life was discussed at the interactive session.
On the occasion, Shalini Eddens said the 'World' organisation was formed by an HIV positive woman in US. It provides emotional and other support to women who have tested positive for HIV. "The organisation is supported by five HIV positive peer educators, who identify HIV positive women, take them to doctors and later help them to become financially independent," she informed.
Eddens said the World also advocates for the rights of HIV positive women by interacting with the government, employers and other authorities.
"We want to give message that the HIV positive women are not alone. We are here to support them.
With proper care and support many HIV positive women, mothers and even grandmothers are leading a healthy life from the past 15 to 18 years," she said.
Second Secretary, Cultural Affairs US Embassy Clayton A Bond said their visit was a part of 'US Speakers Programme'. "Under the programme, specialist from US is invited to share their experience on different areas with the Indian people.
We have adopted people to people approach to get insight of the problem," he said.
Cultural Affairs Specialist, office of Public Affairs US Embassy, Ramesh S Jain presented an overview of the poster campaign programme to spread awareness about HIV.
"A photo exhibit has been prepared with faces of women on the red ribbon to give personal message to people, that despite being HIV positive they can lead a healthy life,' he said.
Project Director, Sarvajan Kalyan Samiti TN Srivastava said the HIV/AIDS intervention programme for the sex workers was started in 1996.
The objective was to increase risk perception in sex workers, inform them about HIV/AIDS, RTI and STI and educate them to protect themselves from the deadly infection. Director PC Verma gave welcome address. Secretary Mona Siddiqui proposed a vote of thanks.
