Inclusion

[Indumathi Ravi Shankar]

Over the years, South India AIDS Action Programme (SIAAP) field officers and community members have sensitized the
Panchayat leaders (Local Village Administration leaders) on HIV and AIDS, and on
issues related to stigma and discrimination. They have motivated the leaders to pass
resolutions supporting the infected and the affected people in the villages.   The
process takes two to three meetings with the leaders. The resolution is finally
passed in a large village level meeting. So far, more than 250 such resolutions
have been passed.

 

On 26 Jan, 2010 (Republic Day of India) in a village near Tiruvannamalai, in Tamil Nadu,
the Panchayat leaders passed such a resolution not to discriminate the infected and affected
people in the village.  After the meeting the leaders took food cooked
and served by a positive woman, who was up till now treated like an outcast.

This is acceptance. This is inclusion.       

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Dear Ms. Indu,

Thanks for this inspiring story. What has been the effect of these resolutions in the community?

I too have an experience to share where the engagement of local leaders led to concrete action on HIV issues. In Molvum village, Nagaland within nine months of setting up of an ACP facilitation team the involvement of local leaders has gone up tremendously.

Why did you start attending the community meetings for ACP?, I asked the community members. The village head would call over the loudspeaker asking us to gather for a community meeting on HIV and we had to attend, stated the villagers. However, slowly their interest and participation grew.

Every last Sunday of the month, the church now collects funds for sick villagers including PLHIV in the village. The Church has also set up up a medical mission. The leaders were impressed with the positive changes ACP approach had brought in the village. They advocated with the government and as a result, a government quarter in the village has been allocated to People in Need Foundation (the local NGO headed by Fr. Joe) to set up an ACP office.

The main contributing factor for active involvement of local leaders has been the retired village headmaster, Uncle Huolai as member of the facilitation team. He is a respected member of the community and a great advocate of ACP. Being the ex-headmaster Uncle Huolai has been able to engage not only elders but also youth of the community. He feels that home visits have led to open and deeper discussions on HIV, stigma and testing.

We tried out the tool of 'Most significant change' and this story emerged as one of the significant changes in the community. It was a proud moment to see the villagers take ownership and even transfer their experiences to other villages. This approach was shared in a meeting of eight churches representing several villages.

Wish I could take you for a visit to this 'pineapple' village.

Warm regards,

Rituu

[Indumathi Ravi Shankar]

Thank you Rituu. Look forward to meeting with you and hope to accompany you in your visits at least to one village.

Indu