December 1st is World AIDS Day!
on The Road Less Travelled (Cameroon), 01/Dec/2010 18:50, 34 days ago
Today I spent the day raising awareness of HIV and AIDS in Bamenda. This is one of IDF’s biggest awareness campaigns in the year and this year it was a great success. The events of the week started on Monday with some of our community volunteers visiting clients living with HIV and AIDS who are part of our home based care program. The community volunteers cleaned the clients’ house and provided counselling and education on various issues. Home cleaning supplies were left with the client to ensure that they would be able to maintain the cleanliness.Amy (VSO Volunteer) and I in our T-shirtsToday, our activities started out with a large HIV and AIDS awareness fair at the governor’s esplanade. IDF had information placards and displays up. In addition, our booth had pamphlets and brochures about IDF, HIV and AIDS and other sexual health issues. One of the IDF staff persons carried out a condom demonstration and we handed out over 600 condoms.IDF booth at the awareness fairCondom demonstrationsIn the afternoon we gave out food baskets to our clients in the home based care program. They all came to the IDF office for some speeches, educational talks and the delivery of the baskets. They were all very happy and thankful for the food items we provided them with: rice, sugar, and spices. We gave out over 100 baskets and then we enjoyed sandwiches and soda with the recipients and some guests.Speeches at the Food Basket DeliveryIt was a good day all round but somewhat of a disappointment that there is still so much ignorance about the disease and that there is still a lot of stigma. Hopefully IDF is doing its part to improve the lives of people living with HIV and AIDS and to educate others on prevention