Venue
As per National AIDS Control Organization’s (NACO) 2006 estimates, national adult HIV prevalence in India is approximately 0.36 percent, amounting to between 2 and 3.1 million people. If an average figure is taken, this comes to 2.5 million people living with HIV and AIDS; almost 50 percent of the previous estimate of 5.2 million.
In India, women account for around one million out of 2.5 million estimated number of people living with HIV/AIDS *. Their heightened vulnerability has both biological and socio-economic reasons. Early marriage, violence and sexual abuse against women are the major socio-economic reasons of their vulnerability to HIV infection. Their biological construct makes them more susceptible to HIV infection in any given heterosexual encounter.
World AIDS Day 2008: LEAD-EMPOWER-DELIVER
Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise - Leadership
Since every 1st December has been observed globally as a day of action designed to raise public awareness on AIDS and to catalyze new and greater commitment against the pandemic, not just for one day, but for 365 days a year. WORLD AIDS DAY highlights up-to-date information on AIDS prevention and care. It aims to stimulate discussion and action among people not regularly confronted by AIDS and to spread messages of compassion, hope and understanding to every corner of the globe.
The theme for world AIDS day 2008 is “Leadership”. This theme will continue to be promoted with campaigning slogan, “Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise”.
Introduction about ICWO ;- Indian Community Welfare Organization is actively involved in creating, innovative and replicatable model in the field of STD/HIV/AIDS Prevention. ICWO’s previous innovative efforts were successful and appreciated through out the world.
ICWO Innovation Activities:
Talking Condom, Go for Gold Contest, Gee Boom Ba (condom memory contest), Condom Joke Contest, Secret Magic Slate, Mayamillai Manthiramillai, Operation Clean Sweep, World Largest Water Condom, Display of Huge Condom Banner, Signature Campaign, Display of World Smallest AIDS Message, World Friendship Day for PLHA in Chennai, Foot Ball Tournament for PLHA in Chennai, Cricket Tournament for Female Sex workers in Chennai, Kitchen Queen Contest for PLHA in Chennai, World Valentines Day for PLHA in Chennai, Cricket Match between Political Leaders Vs PLHA in Chennai, Pudhiyadhor Pongal for PLHA in Chennai & Water Yoga for PLHA in Chennai.
As part of continuing innovative efforts ICWO is initiating a Food Bank for nutritional support for Women and Children living with HIV/AIDS on World AIDS Day on 30th November 2008.
FOOD BANK FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN LIVING WITH HIV/ AIDS
It has become clear that nutrition will have to be addressed in the treatment of HIV disease and AIDS. In the focus-group discussions that we conducted, every group interviewed listed the lack of food as the most likely cause of nonadherence to antiretroviral (ARV) drug therapy. One participant succinctly stated, "If you give us ARVs, please give us food, just food." There truly is irony, not captured in the language of treatment advocacy, in providing antiretroviral drugs to populations that lack access to safe water or food.
The possibility that a relatively inexpensive intervention such as multivitamin supplementation could reduce the risk of or delay HIV-associated disease and death raises the question of how other basic interventions need to be integrated into our nascent HIV and AIDS treatment programs. PLHAs health needs extend beyond the treatment of HIV disease and AIDS; HIV-infected persons are at great risk from other threats, as well. For example, programs to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV will not fulfill their potential if ineffective maternal and child health services fail to prevent the many competing causes of death in women and children.
HIV-positive people need to pay special attention to their nutritional status. Early intervention and attention to nutrition needs can have long-term benefits. To stay healthy, nutritional intervention and education must start at the time of HIV-positive diagnosis. Nutrition consults must occur on a regular time schedule. Comprehensive nutritional
services that include nutrition education and nutrition counseling are a vital part of the health care treatment plan.
ICWO has initiated a Food Bank for nutritional support for Women & Children Living with HIV/AIDS. ICWO is mobilizing support from the Corporate and philanthropists.
The generous support received from the Corporate and philanthropists will be used to purchase food grains for women & children living with HIV/AIDS. Every month the women and children would be support food grains.
The food bank is Inaugurated by Mr.Andrew T. Simkin, Consul General,United States of America, Chennai and Dr. Bimal Charles, Project Director, AIDS Prevention and Control Project
The inauguration of the food bank is supported by CHENNAI CORPORATION AIDS PREVENTION AND CONTROL SOCIETY (CAPACS) and Lions Clubs International, 324A5.
Between Political leaders and PLHA
TANSACS, CAPACS Chennai, Rotary Club of Chennai GEMINI, Med tech, Kumar Builders
As part of the innovative efforts ICWO had organized a Cricket match for PLHA with the Political leaders in Chennai.
The event created an opportunity to discuss about partnership for leadership, stigma, discrimination, violence, marginalization, ill treatment, and denial of treatment, privacy, quality of life, access to the ARV treatment and Nutrition for PLHA
The cricket match was played between the political leaders and People living with HIV/AIDS. The cricket tournament strengthened partnership for leadership between the leaders and the PLHA.
About the event
Honorable Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam; Minister for Health, Government of Tamil Nadu, inaugurated the 20/20 Cricket Tournament by batting the first ball and Mr. David T. Hopper, Consul General of United States of America bowled the first over.
Dr. Jaya Lakshmi Shreedhar, Technical Advisor, Health, Internews Network handed over the fair game flag to the team captains and Honorable M.R.K. Panneerselvam, Minister for Health, Government of Tamil Nadu flagged off the team to the ground and tossed the coin and batted the first ball.
Goal
- To build the partnership for leadership between community and political leaders
- Coming together to address stigma & Discrimination for those who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
- To empower people living with HIV/AIDS to involve themselves in organizing special events.
- To demonstrate the health status of PLHA to the general population.
- To create an opportunity for the PLHA to exhibit their talent and skills.
- To address the stigma, discrimination, marginalization and misconception related to PLHA through the event with the support of Media.
- Develop and disseminate positive messages regarding PLHA.
Media Coverage
The Hindu, Deccan Chronicle, The New Indian Express, News Today, Dina Thanthi, Dina Malar, Malai Malar, Mathruboomi, Rajasthan Pathrika, Anandha Vikadan & Enadu
Live Media
NDTV, CNN IBN, Sun News Channel, Kalaignar TV, Raj TV, Win TV, Tamilan TV, Mega TV, Makkal TV, Aaj Tak & Jaya TV
Kitchen Queen Contest for People Living with HIV/AIDS
17th December 2006
supported by :
AIDS Prevention And Control Project
APAC - VHS - USAID
Organised by:
Indian Community Welfare Organisation - I.C.W.O.
Introduction
World Aids Day dates back to 1988, when an International Summit of Health Ministers called for a spirit of social tolerance and a greater exchange of information of HIV and AIDS.
Since then every 1st December has been observed globally as a day of action designed to raise public awareness on AIDS and to catalyze new and greater commitment against the pandemic, not just for one day, but for 365 days a year. WORLD AIDS DAY highlights up-to-date information on AIDS prevention and care. It aims to stimulate discussion and action among people not regularly confronted by AIDS and to spread messages of compassion, hope and understanding to every corner of the globe.
World AIDS Day 2006: Momentum Building on Calls for Accountability
The World AIDS Campaign has named “accountability” as the global theme for World AIDS Day 2006. Thousands of campaigns around the world are preparing local and national events to raise awareness of HIV and to call on leaders to keep the promises they have made to tackle the AIDS pandemic
Dec. 1 is upon us. It has been 25 years since AIDS first hit the newspapers. No, AIDS has not gone away. Everyday there are 21,000 new infections in the world. What have we learned? Where are we going? Who will be next?
We have learned a lot over the past 25 years. We have new treatments, new ways to test, easier ways to test, no blood needed for the oral antibody test.
Free and confidential testing is offered through SHOUT OUTREACH, Gaudenzia, the Erie County Department of Health and many other community agencies. The answer to where we are going is anybody's guess. We still have the stigma associated with the disease and the attitude that it can't happen to me and the NOT so safe sex.
Who will be next? is a scary thought for those of us who work in the field of HIV/AIDS. Remember those 21,000 new infections daily. No, AIDS is still with us.
Maybe some day, Dec. 1 will be a remembrance day like Veteran's Day or Memorial Day instead of an awareness day.
This year's theme is "Stop AIDS- Keep the Promise-Save the Children". We need to think about World AIDS day. Do something positive. Get Tested. Remember, AIDS you can't give it back once you get it.
Goal
1. Nutrition plays an important role in the life of positive people
2. Nutrition helps the positive people to live healthier and longer
3. Nutrition helps the positive people to retain their stamina, strength
4. It helps them to continue their work and earn a livingCreate an opportunity for positive people to exhibit their skills in cooking
About the event
A Huge candle lighting as a tribute to all those people who have died of AIDS and we are also Inaugurating the Nutrition program for children of sex workers infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. The lighting of the candle and the Nutrition program were Inaugurated by Mr. David T. Hopper, Consul General of the United States of America
Goal
So far more than 25 million people have died of AIDS and 77,457 AIDS cases were reported in India and 52,036 AIDS cases were reported in Tamil Nadu.
We at ICWO observed World AIDS Day on 1st Dec 2005 by lighting a huge candle as a tribute to all those people who have died of AIDS
Around the candle there were volunteers from the sex workers community, MSM community and People Living With HIV/AIDS, they wore masks to express the need for the rapid intervention and pro- active role of the government, bilateral and funding agencies in stopping AIDS
The theme of this World AIDS Day -Stop AIDS. Keep the promise is an appeal to policy makers, program managers and project holders to ensure that they meet the target they have agreed to in the fight against HIV/AIDS
On the same day we also inaugurated the Nutrition program for sex workers children infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. The supplementary food package consists of Milk powder, Dhal, Dates, Manna Mix, Atta, Wheat, Vermicelli, Sugar and Biscuits .
The program will benefit One hundred female sex workers children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. 41 of them have children who are HIV positive, out of these 12 sex workers have 2 positive children each. 59 HIV positive sex workers children are not positive
Date: 1st December 2004
CARDS, Kanchepuram
ARM, Villupuram
Ecomwel, Life Project, Thiruvellur
Pache Trust, Madurai
PDI, Trichy
CSR, Nagercoil
EMPOWER, Tuticorin
IMAYAM, Coimbatore
Tamil Nadu Women’s Collective, Chennai
SIP, Chennai.
Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Field Publicity, Chennai
Family Planning Association of India, Chennai
About the event
ICWO involved 100 volunteers in the campaign in Chennai to reach 50,000 people. The volunteers are mobilized from among sex workers community, Homosexual men, Truck drivers, Industrial Workers, Auto rickshaw drivers, developmental workers. Dr. Jaya Sridharan being the chief guest flagged off the campaign.
The volunteers who started from Anna Nagar West and moved to T.Nagar, Saidapet, ICF, Central, Guindy and Koyambedu bus station distributing handouts and posters spreading the information on HIV/AIDS and need for support and care for the People Living with HIV/ AIDS.