AIDS awareness campaign to focus on J&K tribes

[Guest guest]

AIDS awareness campaign to focus on J & K tribes

Staff Reporter

It will be in their mother tongue; folk media to be employed

Jammu: The nomadic tribes of far-flung picturesque Himalayan range of Jammu and

Kashmir are the focus of an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign. The tribes are being

imparted knowledge about the ways and means to prevent the dreaded disease.

The Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation has launched a fourfold programme

throughout the State with special focus on the tribes of Gujjars and Bakerwals.

This was in view of lack of knowledge among people about deadly diseases and

sexually transmitted infections.

What makes the initiative unique is the fact that the programme is in Gojri, the

language of nomad Gujjars.

Various mass communication techniques such as the use of folk poetry, posters

and folk theatre with indigenous settings are being employed. Folk artistes,

story-tellers, folk painters and theatre performers have been associated for the

purpose.

Javaid Rahi, national secretary of the Foundation told The Hindu that he hoped

that the folk media would be a powerful tool to spread knowledge to counter the

threat of deadly diseases.

He said " tribal Gujjar doctors " will educate the nomads about health care and

the programmes launched from time to time.“We will provide all type of logistic

support to doctors of other communities as well who know the Gojri language.”

http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/14/stories/2008071455380900.htm