Manitoba school gets $6.8M to fight AIDS amoung rural sex-trade workers

[Guest guest]

Manitoba school gets $6.8M to fight AIDS targets rural sex-trade

workers in India

WINNIPEG -- The University of Manitoba's fight against HIV/AIDS in

India was to get a $6.8-million boost yesterday from Microsoft

billionaire Bill Gates.

The funding announcement was planned for a luncheon in Delhi as part

of a trade mission led by Manitoba Premier Doer.

The university's project targets rural sex-trade workers, but also

aims to raise Manitoba's profile on the subcontinent, an emerging

economic power because of its growing market.

" It is really a prestigious announcement by the Gates Foundation, "

Doer said in an interview from Delhi, where Manitoba firms had 90

different business meetings Monday.

" It is a real feather in the hat for the University of Manitoba. "

The money will provide four more years of funding to the

university's project.

There are more than 50,000 migrant sex-trade workers and high-risk

men in largely rural areas in India, where the spread of HIV/AIDS

has already affected 600,000 people.

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/National/2006/02/15/1443603-sun.html