Making Red Ribbons as an AIDS awareness activity for Children

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

This is to share our experience of using a simple act of making Red Ribbons as a

way to community involvement in AIDS outreach

programmes.

Although these little red symbols are much sought after by lay

participants in AIDS programmes, they are normally made of metal and

manufactured by assorted companies for commercial purpose. National and

international AIDS sector agencies form the bulk of their clientele. Making

fancy red ribbons are a multi-million dollar industry that could easily share

its proceeds with the voluntary sector, helping them to become self-sustaining.

As a model developed to enlist existing NGOs as strategic allies in the `War

against AIDS,' and involve them as stakeholders, Maitri had

earlier this year, mooted the idea of getting non-formal institutions to craft

the easy-to-make single loop red bow ribbons for AIDS day

functions.

The involvement of local NGOs in the enterprise, is the first step in

this direction. The attempt this time has been to make AIDS

awareness an ongoing " 24x365 state of mind " rather than an

occasion restricted to one day of the year.

When individuals and organizations get involved in hand-crafting

the ribbons it stimulates a discussion or at least initiates a dialogue on AIDS.

For little children, who have not yet achieved an understanding of the Virus, it

is a good starting point to introduce them to the subject. Sometimes, we get an

inquisitive kid

who will ask what the ribbons are.

It is encouraging for us to see this spirit of curiosity; to them, we simply

say, just like you tie a knot in your handkerchief when you want to be reminded

about something, the red ribbon is a reminder that we need to be cautious about

keeping ourselves safe from illness. That, usually satisfies them.

And while achieving the primary objective of building awareness and

getting people to break the taboo of talking about AIDS, it could have

its own spin-offs as well. For institutions like Providence, who are

largely dependent on voluntary donations and sale of motley items like

candles, craftwork and other baubles that people buy more to contribute to the

organization than for their intrinsic value, ribbon-crafting could actually be

an avenue to generate revenue to make them

self-reliant.

Sanjay Sharma

Maitri, Shillong

E-mail: <sanjay.maitri@...>