Increase social acceptance of PLAHs during Navaratri

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

As you know Gujarat State Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS organise

HIV/AIDS awareness program every year during navaratri.

With the support of local channel in Surat, we organise big HIVV/AIDS awareness

program. We organise our stall at the place where people play 'Garaba'. With the

support of local channel and organisers we organise whole program. In the

program, we provide basic information of HIV/AIDS and distribute material. More

over whole program organise by PLHAs, one of our goal to organise program is to

create enabling environment by increasing social acceptance of PLHAs. Here the

program become quite useful for us in doing same.

Many of our PLHAs play garaba with their open HIV status and reduces the stigma

Announcement regarding our stall contineously done from the stage by the

organisers. chief guests of the garba are welcomed by our PLHAs leaders. Hence

it become quite use ful for us in increasing social acceptance.

This year also we organised same program, but here two major changes we applied.

The first change is that whole responsibility of organising program and

managment is taken by Network of Surat People Living with HIV/AIDS (Surat-DLN).

Hence, leadership from districts are coming strongly now as a strength to GSNP+.

And they are doing all the things quite successfully.

Another program we organsied with the support of Gujarat State AIDS Control

Society is that on 1st October. We organised " Pasandgi Mela " (it is like

'swayamwar', were people can select theier life partner) for PLHAs. From our

previous experience of successfull organising varaious marraiges under marraige

beaura run by GSNP+ we organised such program.

we have long list of PLHAs who are willing to marry, but somehow they can't meet

with every one. Hence, we organised this program. In the program various PLHAs

from whole Gujarat will participate who are willing to marry. They will

introduce themselves infront of whole group. And at the end they can discuss

with each-other and can take proper decision in selecting proper life partner.

Looking at the confidentiality, in whole program only PLHAs who are willing to

marry will participate and other PLHAs who are organising program will

participate.

We also, invite any PLHAs to participate in the mela from outside Gujarat also.

For further information you can contact

NSP+ (0261-6594700).

Regards,

Jitendra M. Mehta

Project Officer

GSNP+

e-mail: <gsnpplus@...>