BPDU's Posts - Community life competence2024-03-29T11:28:01ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDUhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545980304?profile=original&xn_version=202403260758&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1&xj_user_default=1https://aidscompetence.ning.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=1aj9i3x5z597g&xn_auth=noTHRIKKUNNAPPUZHA GRAMA PANCHAYATH: REPLICABLE RESPONSE OF A LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT FOR THE CARE AND SUPPORT OF THE HIV INFECTEDtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-11-11:2028109:BlogPost:284202010-11-11T05:30:00.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">Thrikkunnappuzha, a rural village of Alappuzha District in Kerala State has now become a replicable model for other Gramapanchayaths (Rural Self Government Agencies) in the State for providing care and support to the HIV infected without hurting their privacy or secrecy.…</span><br></br>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">Thrikkunnappuzha, a rural village of Alappuzha District in Kerala State has now become a replicable model for other Gramapanchayaths (Rural Self Government Agencies) in the State for providing care and support to the HIV infected without hurting their privacy or secrecy.</span><br/>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">Providing welfare opportunity to all citizens, without any stigma or discrimination is the constitutional obligation of all local self governments in India. Hence HIV infected persons are also equally eligible to become part and parcel of all welfare initiatives of Local Self Governments(LSGs). They are also entitled to receive special attention from LSGs as in the same kind as other weaker sections of the Society benefit. However many instances of repudiation or deliberate evasion of the HIV infected have been reported from many corners of the State. Though there are several reasons for these repudiations, wrong moralistic perspective of society towards sex and sexuality play behind denial of such welfare services to the HIV infected.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">Albeit there has been a major change of mindset of society to the HIV infected, self-stigma still exists in many of the infected persons. A majority of the infected persons hide their HIV status due to the fear of disgrace and abasement. It is estimated that there are a total of 55167 HIV infected persons in Kerala. However, three-fourth of them is still invisible to the public health-care system. Political leadership of many Gramapanchayaths in Kerala has shown willingness to support their HIV infected people as a result of coordinated mainstreaming efforts by the Kerala State AIDS Control Society. <br/></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);"><br/></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">Some Gramapanchayths sanctioned projects for nutrition support, education support, etc. Many such initiatives have failed, as the real beneficiaries are unwilling to reveal their status before the implementing officials owing to shame, fear of disgrace to the family and possible stigma and discrimination from the neighborhood. <br/></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">Realizing the situation, Thrikkunnappuzha Gramapanchayath authority has taken necessary measures to ensure confidentiality while implementing a nutrition support programme to its HIV infected persons. The Gramapanchayath has been supporting their HIV infected inhabitants since 2007 as an impact of the ‘Thejaswini’ Programme implemented by KSACS to highlight the sufferings of HIV infected persons to the community. This year the Gramapanchayath is spending</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: Rupee; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">`</span>35000 for providing nutritious food for all the eight HIV positive cases among its inhabitants. Of <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">course, the project amount is very small but its unique implementation process ensures accessibility to all the infected without revealing their identity to anyone in the Panchayath. <br/></span>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">The implementing officer of the ‘Nutrition Support Project for HIV Infected’ is the Medical Officer of Thrikkunnappuzha Government Homeo Hospital. The Project implementation procedure allows none of the elected Panchayath members or other officials except the implementing officer to meet or interact with the beneficiaries of the project. The Medical officer of the Hospital normally hails from other areas of the State and hence, technically none in the Panchayath are aware about the beneficiaries of the Project. It encourages the real beneficiaries to come forward and receive the benefit of the Project without the fear of revealing their identity and possible stigma and discrimination from the community.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">With the support of ‘Prathyasa Kendram’, the Drop in Centre for PLHIVs implemented by KSACS and managed by the ADNP<sup>+</sup> (Alappuzha District Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS), the implementing officer distributes the nutrition kits to the beneficiaries every month. Prathyasa Kendrams are the Drop-in-Centers for HIV infected persons promoted by KSACS. For convenience, the Gramapanchayath authority transferred the sanctioned project amount to the separate bank account opened by the ADNP<sup>+</sup>. Every month, ADNP<sup>+</sup> submits the expenditure statement to the Panchayath. They never quote the name and address of the beneficiaries in any of their communication or reports to the Panchayath. Instead, they quote the ART Registration Number of the person in all its documents. The Implementing Officer verifies these registration numbers. Distributing the nutrition support outside the Gramapanchayath, and using ART registration number for documentation and communication, ensures supreme confidentiality to the beneficiaries of the programme.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">If all Local Self Governments in Kerala replicate the procedure adopted by Thrikkunnappuzha Panchayath to extend care and support to their civilians, more people will come forward and receive such supports. Gradually it will pave the way for reducing both self-stigma of the HIV infected, and the stigma and discrimination of the community towards them. Such a situation will certainly reduce the invisibility of the infected from the Public Health care system. All of them will definitely come forward and register at the ART Centre for further health care. It also will contribute to the ‘halt and reverse the epidemic efforts’ of National AIDS Control Organization and its National AIDS Control Programme.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: normal;" align="center">---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> <b style=""><span style="font-size: 15pt; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">BEST PRACTICE DOCUMENTATION UNIT</span></b><b style=""><span style="font-size: 15pt; color: red;"><br/></span></b> <b style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: red;">IEC DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL<br/> SOCIETY</span></b><br/>
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA<br/>
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<b style=""><span style="font-size: 13pt; color: rgb(84, 141, 212);">HINDUSTAN LATEX FAMILY PLANNING PROMOTION TRUST (HLFPPT)</span></b><br/>
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<br/>FATE OF HIV POSITIVE CHILDREN IS NOT UNCERTAIN: IF THE COMMUNITY JOINS HANDS INTACTLYtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-11-03:2028109:BlogPost:276122010-11-03T08:45:40.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
Now they are smiling; the thespians in the murky story of stigma and discrimination that attracted the curiosity of all philanthropists and social activists at national and international level. They and their supporters are grateful to all the campaigners who involved in alleviating the issue and ensure the completion of their primary education in <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">the same school in a friendly…</span>
Now they are smiling; the thespians in the murky story of stigma and discrimination that attracted the curiosity of all philanthropists and social activists at national and international level. They and their supporters are grateful to all the campaigners who involved in alleviating the issue and ensure the completion of their primary education in <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">the same school in a friendly ambiance.</span><br/>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><b style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The Issue</span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The issue was occurred during the year 2006 in Mar Dionysius Lower Primary(MDLP) School located at Pampady, a rural village of Kottayam District in Kerala State where three HIV positive children and two affected children were denied continuation of their primary education due to the opposition of the parents of other pupils in the school. These children were the inmates of Asha Kiran, the Community Care Centre facilitated by the Kerala State AIDS Control Society. The incident was disclosed by one of the leading satellite channels of Kerala named ‘Asianet News’ on 6<sup>th</sup> December 2006. <br/></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The parents were pressurizing the school management by saying that they would withdrew their kids, if the school management is permitting these affected and infected children to continue their studies in the school. The situation compelled ‘Asha Kiran’ executives to decide not to send the children to the school due to the fear of persecution from the opposed parents. The media also take part in the issue with antagonistic opinions and news that generated curiosity of the viewers/readers from all the strata of the Society and discussions at various levels.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><b style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The Action</span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Though it was a complicated issue, the Kerala Community could settle it properly after a strenuous effort. Immediately after the alertness by the news story, Kerala State AIDS Control Society took a delegation to the village from where the issue is being reported. The team conducted a series of meetings with various stakeholders viz. District Collector, District Medical Officer, elected Members and the President of Pampadi Grama panchayath, executives of Asha Kiran, media persons, teachers and management of the MDLP School, etc. and plead their support through proper sensitization in resolving the issue. The delegation was a successful initiative that prepared all the strata of the Society to work for the mitigation of the issue. As a result State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Kerala, District collector, District Medical Officer, Representatives of Grama Panchayath, Block Panchayath and District Panchayath, etc. were actively involved in the meeting of the Parent Teacher Association convened on the very second day of the reporting of the issue. The meeting was a failure in persuading all the parents to allow the children to continue their studies in the school. The parents exhibited extreme hostility to the supporters of the affected children during the meeting.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">It was obvious from the meeting that the issue would not be resolved without dispelling the doubts and concerns of the villagers and hence it is decided to organize a two week long interpersonal communication campaign to address the concerns of the villagers. Based on the strategy and action plan prepared by Kerala State AIDS Society, all the 6196 households spread over in the village is visited by the trained volunteers selected from Kudumbasree (Community Development Society for poverty alleviation), Mahila Swast Sangh, NGOs, etc. The volunteers formed in teams under the leadership of elected members of each wards of the Grama Panchayath and met the villagers on a one to one basis to educate them about HIV/AIDS and clear their doubts regarding the illness. They have distributed materials like leaflets, posters,etc. on HIV/AIDS, repercussions of stigma and discriminations associated to the illness, etc. for further reading and message re-call. Street plays and ventriloquists were performed in various parts of the village for mobilizing community to act against the stigma and discrimination towards the HIV infected and affected children.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Kerala State AIDS Control Society arranged an exposure visit for the elected members of Pampadi Grama Panchayath and the executive members of the Parent Teachers Association of all the schools in the Grama Panchayath to the Chathannoor Grama Panchayath in Kollam District that confronted and tackled successfully the similar issue, previously. The visit gave more insight to the team about the issue. <br/></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Following to these initiatives, a joint meeting of PTA authorities of all schools in Pampadi Village, Grama Panchayath representatives, District Medical Officer, executives of Asha Kiran, Assistant Education Officer and representatives of MDLP School Management were convened under the chairmanship of the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of the area. As per the decision of this meeting, a general body meeting of Parent Teachers Association of MDLP School held on the 20<sup>th</sup> day after the reporting of the issue. The result of the interpersonal communication campaign was visible in the meeting, and the oppositions of the parents became meek and gentle during the meeting. The meeting decided to allow the children to continue their studies in the same school without any fear of stigma and discrimination. <br/></span></p>
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<b style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The Impact</span></b> <br/>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Now all these five children left from the MDLP school. All the children except one has studied up to fourth standard and left to other schools for higher studies. The other kid discontinued her studies from this school at standard II as her relatives accepted her illness as a by-product of the resolution process of the issue. Now she is studying in fifth standard in a school at another village, without having any issue of dishonor and distinction. <br/></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Though the issue was pathetic, the planned communication campaign at local level and state level could generate positive opinions against stigma and discrimination among the community and an attitude to work for the eradication of the same. It attracted ample media coverage that<br/>
engendered discussions at various levels among the public. It in turn created conducive environment in the State for the education of the HIV infected/affected children. The worst experience of these children during December 2006 has now become the reason for the smiles of several infected/affected children in Kerala. <br/></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal;" align="center"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<span style="color: red;">-----------------------<b style="">BEST PRACTICE DOCUMENTATION UNIT<br/>
</b></span> IEC DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY<br/>
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA<br/>
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<b style=""><i style="">Management<br/>
Support by:</i></b><br/>
<b style=""><span style="color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">Hindustan<br/>
Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT)<br/>
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<br/>SAVINGS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-10-18:2028109:BlogPost:266292010-10-18T07:00:06.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><font size="1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Community participation through community mobilization and empowerment is inevitable in ensuring the quality and sustainability of services implemented by the targeted intervention programme aimed at preventing HIV/AIDS among core high groups like female sex workers and MSMs. Almost all the Targeted Intervention…</span></font></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><font size="1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Community participation through community mobilization and empowerment is inevitable in ensuring the quality and sustainability of services implemented by the targeted intervention programme aimed at preventing HIV/AIDS among core high groups like female sex workers and MSMs. Almost all the Targeted Intervention Projects named ‘Suraksha Projects’ in Kerala struggle to find enough money for community development and empowerment initiatives. This is a hopeful story from ‘Santhwanatheeram’ – the community based organization of female sex workers in Alappuzha District, who surmounted this stumbling block by expediently promoting savings among their members. Santhwanatheeram has been trying to develop saving habit among them and their deposit is used for micro-financing, micro-credits and other such developmental initiatives of the community.</span></font> <br/></div>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><font size="1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br/></span></font></p>
<font size="1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Santhwanatheeram CBO is promoted by Jawahar Suraksha Project. When the project started its function among the scattered female sex worker community at Alappuzha District, they had negligible savings. The Project identified them with the habit of spending all the income from their occupation instantly, for their squandering life. Subsequently they were in difficulty for money to meet their daily needs particularly when they could not go for sex work due to illness, arrest or raid by police, or other such causes. Habitually they depend on local money-lenders who charge huge interest for instant money, in need. When the project started functioning in the district, they started asking money as loans or donations from the project staff in such crisis situations. Even if it is for justifiable deeds, the project team found difficulty in providing such loans at many occasions. It also observed that such incidences created barriers in establishing therapeutic rapport with female sex workers for expected behavior change, to prevent HIV/AIDS among them.</span></font><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><font size="1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br/></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><font size="1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The thought for initiating a small saving scheme among them emanated from this encumbrance. The professional team of the Project supported Santhwanatheeram CBO to set up a technically viable and functionally feasible savings programme among its members. With the support of the professional team, the CBO has developed a written by-law explaining procedures and provisions of the scheme. The scheme persuades its members to pay Rs.100 per month as monthly installment for the scheme. The scheme offers its members the whole paid amount with a reasonable amount as share of the profit of the scheme after the completion of twelve months. The scheme envisages the growth of money from the interest of small loans distributed among the members in need and from the income of micro-financing initiatives using this savings. All the income generated from these types of activities implemented using the deposits of shareholders are divided equally among them after the completion of the term.<span style=""><br/></span></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><font size="1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Initially the community was hesitant to join in the scheme. There were only 68 members in the scheme during the initial phase (2007-2008). The scheme returned Rs. 1500 to all the members against their deposit of Rs.1200 in 12 equal installments. By directly observing the benefits of the scheme, i.e., availing money in need to the members of the scheme and reasonable growth of the deposit, attracted more sex workers to the scheme in subsequent years. In addition to this, all the beneficiaries of the income generation programme implemented by ‘Santhwanatheeram’ using the loans from this saving scheme, also become the members of the scheme. There has been a steady growth in the number of shareholders in subsequent years. The membership was 176 during the period of 2008-2009 and 308 were during 2009-2010. During the current period their number has increased to 367 and the membership campaign is progressing. It is expected that at least 400 members will join the scheme, this year. <br/></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><font size="1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br/></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><font size="1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The scheme is implemented with the rules and regulations approved and accepted by the sex worker community in Alappuzha District. ‘Ensuring maximum transparency in dealings, proper accounting, simplistic procedures for transactions, maximum utilization of the deposited amount, maximum value for deposits, sharing the whole income from the scheme among the shareholders, etc., are the contributing factors to success of the programme,’ the CBO leaders and Jawahar team affirms. Every month a considerable amount is deposited in the scheme that enables Santhwanatheeram to initiate various social development programmes for the welfare of the female sex workers in the district.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><font size="1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">As a by-product, the scheme ensures regular visit of female sex workers to the drop-in-centres to pay the monthly installments. It helps Jawahar Suraksha Project to ensure regular services to build safe sex practices among them. The Project identifies the scheme as one of the best strategies to maintain therapeutic rapport with house based sex workers and is trying to get maximum reach among them through this scheme. <br/></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><font size="1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br/></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><font size="1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">With necessary local specific changes, other CBOs and NGOs working among the Core Groups, particularly among female sex workers, can implement the scheme. It will certainly ensure maximum reach and coverage among them. It will also boost the community mobilization and empowerment initiatives, as visualized by the National AIDS Control Programme, phase –III.</span></font></p>
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<font size="1"><br/></font>THEY HAVE MOPED UP THE STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST FEMALE SEX WORKERS: A SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVE FROM THRISSUR DISTRICTtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-10-11:2028109:BlogPost:264152010-10-11T05:37:25.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">The status of female sex workers in Kerala was very pathetic and wretched before starting the HIV/AIDS interventions among them by Kerala State AIDS Control Society under National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) during the late 1990’s. They were victims of extreme human right violations due to…</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">The status of female sex workers in Kerala was very pathetic and wretched before starting the HIV/AIDS interventions among them by Kerala State AIDS Control Society under National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) during the late 1990’s. They were victims of extreme human right violations due to the vulnerabilities they faced from their surroundings. They were browbeaten, exploited, harassed, tortured or abused by their own clients, police, gangsters, and so called moralists in the society simply because of their status as sex workers. <br/></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">It was a herculean task before the NGOs and CBOs working among them for HIV prevention to create an enabled environment with reduced disregard and distinction for the smooth implementation of targeted intervention components like behaviour change communication, condom programming, STI management, etc. <br/></span>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">Now the situation is not as serious as used to be in the beginning, due to the strenuous mainstreaming efforts made by Kerala State AIDS Control Society and the NGOs/CBOs involved at various levels in the implementation of HIV prevention programme among the core high risk groups. They carefully analyzed the power structures existing in the society and tackled them strategically with appropriate locally framed techniques. The strategy adopted by ‘Sanga Mitra’ (meaning ‘friends of society’) Suraksha Project, Thrissur is a classical example for such locally framed techniques in tackling the stigma and discrimination against sex workers. The Project is implemented by the CBO of Female Sex Workers in the District and was promoted by the NGO named ‘Builders of Nation’.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">‘Sakthan Bus Stand’ is one of the major hotspots of Sanga Mitra Suraksha Project from the very beginning itself where more than sixty street-based female sex workers operate. Among them 14 FSWs were totally abandoned and deserted by their family solely due to their sex worker status. They sojourned in the Bus Stand itself as they have no other shelter or accommodations. All of them were victims of awful stigma and discrimination from the society. The shopkeepers, police, trade union workers, etc. in the bus stand exhibited exorbitant hostility towards them. ‘They considered us as nasty creatures, they never allowed us to enter teashops or hotels to eat food or even stand in front of the shops’ Omana, one of the sufferers of Society’s hostility said. ‘They feared that our presence in the shop would lose their customers. Many time, shop owners splashed boiled water on our face and body, when we opposed to leave from the shop’ she continued. ‘At that time, tea shop/hotels in the bus stand never allowed us to eat food in their plate and glass. They ladled food in leaves or in plastic papers and tea or coffee in coconut shells instead of plates and glasses. At the same time they charged more money for their services’ Sunila, another victim divulged. ‘We felt ourselves as wretched and worst. We detested our execrable life. We considered ourselves as rubbish to the terra and we tried our best to hide from the mainstream society. We felt a kind of enemy-feeling in our psyche towards the society’ Geethambika, another FSW of Sakthan bus-stand added. <span style=""><br/></span></span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">‘Because of the extreme antagonism of the shop owners and other habitual in the bus stand, we were not able to work at the hotspot for HIV prevention activities and contact these FSWs for behaviour change towards safe sex practices’ Ms. Mini, Project Manager of Sangha Mitra Suraksha Project said. ‘We adopted several strategies, including face to face interaction with each stakeholder, political interventions, media interventions, etc. to resolve the issue, but all failed. However, from these exercises we realized that people consider sex workers as rebellious and harmful to the Society. From this apprehension, we tried to adopt a strategy to make them valuable and credible to the Society. As an innovation, we persuaded some of the sex workers staying in the Bus stand to clean the bus stand premises, particularly the foreground of shops and other institutions of the Bus Stand every morning. Sangha Mitra provided broomstick and other requisites for cleaning the bus stand’ she continued. <br/></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">The strategy was successful and the shop owners appreciated the new role of the sex workers in the bus stand. Some of them provided tea and snacks free of cost as token for their service. Meanwhile, Sangha Mitra, with the help of NGO, approached the Thrissur Corporation to provide financial support to the bus stand cleaning programme. In fact, it was a deliberate strategy to institutionalize the cleaning programme and brand the sex workers as official cleaners of the Bus Stand. The Corporation approved Rs. 5000 per month to the CBO for cleaning the Bus Stand every day. It enabled the CBO to conduct an official inauguration of the bus stand cleaning programme that helped in attracting the attention of media and the public. The CBO distributes the allotted fund by the Corporation equally to all the FSWs designated to clean the stand in the respective month. The Corporation authority is also satisfied with their performance and hence hiked the remuneration to the CBO for cleaning to Rs.12500/- per month. They are also planning to entrust additional tasks to these women for the maintenance of cleanliness in the City.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">‘Now we are an indispensible part of Sakthan Bus Stand. We no longer are restricted or prohibited in the locality’ Sunila opines. ‘Even though we are practicing sex work in the Bus Stand, the shop owners and other customers of the bus stand consider us as normal human beings. Now we feel value for ourselves and hence we ourselves restrict public soliciting in the bus stand’ she continued. The life style of the sex workers in the bus stand has also undergone considerable change. They themselves dispelled their shabby appearance and none of them are staying in the bus stand at present. Almost all of them are now living in rented houses. All of them are actively involved in the activities of ‘Sangha Mitra’ and Suraksha Project. ‘We want to reframe the lives our peers’ they unanimously enunciates.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal;" align="center">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> <b style=""><span style="font-family: Broadway; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">BEST PRACTICE DOCUMENTATION UNIT</span></b><br/>
<b style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: red;">IEC DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY<br/>
</span></b> THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA<br/>
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<b style=""><i style=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 204);">Management Support by:</span></i></b><br/>
<b style=""><span style="font-family: "Copperplate Gothic Bold","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT)</span></b><br/></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal;" align="center">THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA</p>
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<br/>CATERING TO THE WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITYtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-10-04:2028109:BlogPost:262922010-10-04T08:25:19.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">Catering unit, an innovation from<br />
Swantham Suraksha Project to empower female sex workers is under progress, as visualized by the promoters. Swantham Suraksha Project is run by the community based organization (CBO) of female sex workers in Ernakulam District of Kerala State. The Catering unit was officially inaugurated on 21<sup>st</sup> June 2010. Till date, the…</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">Catering unit, an innovation from<br />
Swantham Suraksha Project to empower female sex workers is under progress, as visualized by the promoters. Swantham Suraksha Project is run by the community based organization (CBO) of female sex workers in Ernakulam District of Kerala State. The Catering unit was officially inaugurated on 21<sup>st</sup> June 2010. Till date, the Unit has catered delicious food to more than twenty-five major programmes. <br/></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"><br/></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">‘A catering unit managed by a sex worker CBO and staffed with street based sex workers is certainly an amazing attempt’, says Sr.Ancy, In charge of Kanivu, Ernakulam, who orders food regularly from ‘Swantham Catering Unit’ for the programmes conducted at Kanivu Auditorium. ‘Initially we were hesitant to order food from this unit due to varied reasons. We were doubtful about the quality, taste, neatness, punctuality, etc. We were also afraid about the response of our customers owing to the stigma associated with the lifestyle of the executors. But we became astonished with their very first performance and now we are totally satisfied with their services’, she frankly continued.</span><br/><br/>The very idea of starting a catering
service originated from a usual meeting of the community members at the drop in centre of Swantham Suraksha Project, where one of the community members cooked ‘Kanji’ (water-gruel) as mid day meal for all the attendees. ‘When we put the idea before Suraksha Project Team, they asked us to prepare and serve food for the programmes and events organized by the Project and the CBO’, said Ms. Aisha, the chief cook and team leader of Swantham Catering Unit. ‘We prepared fried rice and chicken curry for a community event organized by the Project with more than hundred participants using rented utensils and gas stove. We met initial expenses from the loan collected from a benefactor of the CBO. All the participants appreciated us for the taste of the food and it inspired us to go ahead ’. She explained. <br/><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"><br/></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">‘In fact, the Catering Unit is visualized as an income generation programme for the CBO. Fortunately it is now becoming a reason for change in the perception and attitude of the general public towards our stakeholder community’, Ms. Swapna Soman, Project Manager of Swantham Suraksha Project stated. ‘Stakeholders who involved in the activities of the catering unit viz. preparation, supply, marketing, etc. are also enthusiastic, about positive strokes received from the public’, she continued. ‘When people dine on the food we prepared and catered, we feel worthy of ourselves’ Prameela, a 40 year old sex worker, opined. ‘It also helps us recognize ourselves as part of the society’ Shobha and Stella added.</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"><br/></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">The Catering unit has now become a major source of income to the CBO. From the profits of the services, they have purchased own gas stoves, necessary utensils, a refrigerator, etc. to the Unit. They have also started a beauty parlor in their Drop-in-Centre using income from the catering unit. Plans are on to purchase a vehicle for transporting food from the kitchen to the catering venues.</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"><br/></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">The Unit has tie-up with seven institutions owning auditoriums and conference halls in the City of Cochin. The office bearers of the Unit are confident enough to attain more contacts and more orders to the catering unit. They are also planning to start a canteen attached to the Drop-in-Centre strictly for FSWs in the City and Mid-day meal parcel service to the employees of various institutions in the City.<span style=""><br/></span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"></p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">The Catering unit run by female sex workers at Swantham is a proven practice to reduce the stigma associated to sex work, from the sides of both the stigmatized and the stigmatizers. It is also helpful in enhancing the self-esteem of the actors and their peers, which in turn will improve their relationship with the society. It will also improve interest in their own life, encouraging them to pursue safe sex practices.</span>LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL: CASE STUDY OF A FEMALE SEX WORKER FROM KERALAtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-09-28:2028109:BlogPost:261872010-09-28T06:21:43.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">This is the story of Ms. Suma, a 40 year old woman, who faced a lot of struggle in the street as a sex worker. Suma is a good looking woman who belongs to Naduvil Village, a distant rural village of Kannur District in Kerala. She hails from a lower middle class family and her parents…</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">This is the story of Ms. Suma, a 40 year old woman, who faced a lot of struggle in the street as a sex worker. Suma is a good looking woman who belongs to Naduvil Village, a distant rural village of Kannur District in Kerala. She hails from a lower middle class family and her parents are<br/>
agricultural labourers. At the age of 19, she had been forced to marry a middle aged alcoholic, with rude and bothersome character. He tortured her sexually, physically and mentally. Her matrimonial life was a failure and she disassociated her husband after six years of marriage, solely due to his cruel behavior towards her. During this short period of matrimony, she became the mother of four children. <br/></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"><br/></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">After disassociation, her life with four toddling children was pathetic and she found difficulty in meeting their daily needs. Because of extreme poverty and sufferings, once she tried to commit suicide along with her children, but failed due to the timely intervention of compatriots.</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">This incidence provided opportunity to a circumventor to establish rapport with her and he offered employment opportunity to her at Kannur Town. She fell in his trap and came to the town with him in the year 1990. Actually he was the connecting link of a sex racket in the town and he coerced her to have sex with his clients. The hapless woman had no other option, and she agreed to have sex with them. He paid a share of his earning to her. Slowly she got accustomed to the new occupation that provided enough money without much hardship and became a fulltime sex worker of Kannur Town. The companionship with the members of sex circuit and the new occupation, gave her the opportunity to consume alcohol and drugs. Gradually she became a drunkard. <br/></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"><br/></span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">Severe alcoholism caused a shift in her client profile and the high yielding middle/upper class clients avoided her due to this bad habit. When the income reduced, her herder deliberately eliminated her from his home to the street. It was during the middle of 1990s. In the street her life was heinous and rocky. As a street based sex worker, she suffered a lot, both from the sex circuit and from the public. <br/></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"><br/></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">The Targeted Intervention Project implemented by Jeevana Samskrity- a Kannur Based NGO identified her and established therapeutic rapport with her in the year 2000. They helped her to contact a de-addiction counselor and gave an opportunity to understand the value of her life and how to lead a valued life at its best. Regular visit to the Project provided opportunity to interact with other sex workers who hailed from same or even severe situation where extreme poverty, physical, mental and social harassment, etc. These exposures changed her attitudes towards life. By realizing the worth of her life, she wanted to work for the welfare of her peers. This urge helped her to become one of the founder members of Chola – the Community Based Organization of female sex workers in Kannur District. The bitter experiences from the street and<br/>
professional training from the Targeted Intervention Programme made her strong enough to vie for the rights of her equals.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">She has been democratically elected as the President of Chola during the year 2006. During her tenure, Chola become independent from its Mother NGO and took up the responsibility of implementing TI Programme among female sex workers in Kannur District. Now it is one of the best community led targeted intervention programmes in the State of Kerala. Under her glaring leadership, Chola developed strong networks with various governmental and non-governmental agencies. As a result she could start a shelter (Protective and Rehabilitation Home) for the aged female sex workers in the district who were compelled to lead a miserable life in the street. She<br/>
could also start mid day meal programme to the poor women who visit the drop in centre promoted by Chola. She could set –up a strong crises management team in the CBO to deal with vulnerability factors that affect the life of female sex workers in the district.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"><br/></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">Now she is trying to find out means for free medical care to her community members and income generation programmes to the CBO for its sustainability. She is committed to develop second line leadership in the CBO and hence promote shadow leadership in it. <br/></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"><br/></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">It is obvious that the targeted intervention programme in Kerala has a great stake in the accomplishment of Suma as leader. She is certain that she would not be on earth now, if she has not been identified and cared by the Targeted Intervention. Now she leads a worthy life with her children and her children are also happy with her change. She is satisfied with the recognition she receives from the Society as a Social Reformer. She is content with the love and care she receives from her community. Her positive spirit and effective leadership will certainly change the lives of hundreds of hapless female sex workers in the State. Suma believes that life has been her biggest teacher. She understands the women she works for as she has lived her life like them. With her empathy and understanding she could easily identify key areas that needed to be addressed.</span></p>
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PRACTICE DOCUMENTATION UNIT<br/>
</span></b> <span style="font-weight: bold;">IEC DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY</span><br/>
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA<br/>
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<b style=""><i style="">Management<br/>
Support by:<br/>
</i></b></span> <b style=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 176, 80);">HINDUSTAN<br/>
LATEX FAMILY PLANNING PROMOTION TRUST (HLFPPT)<br/>
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<br/>AN EXCITING STORY OF VOLUNTARY BLOOD DONATION MOVEMENT IN ANCHERICHIRA VILLAGEtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-09-17:2028109:BlogPost:256212010-09-17T16:13:16.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">Anchery is a small but fast growing village in Thrissur<br />
District, the Cultural Capital of Kerala. The Village is now in news due to its initiatives in promoting voluntary blood donation. The mega blood donation camp conducted in the village on 20<sup>th</sup> June 2010 has become a record in Kerala State as it bled 464 units of blood from a single Voluntary Blood…</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">Anchery is a small but fast growing village in Thrissur<br />
District, the Cultural Capital of Kerala. The Village is now in news due to its initiatives in promoting voluntary blood donation. The mega blood donation camp conducted in the village on 20<sup>th</sup> June 2010 has become a record in Kerala State as it bled 464 units of blood from a single Voluntary Blood Donation Camp. The reason for excitement is that the entire community of the Ancherichira Village have become active associates of the campaign, organized as part of the World Blood Donor Day’ observance in the District. <span style=""><br/></span></span>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">The Merchants Association of Ancherichira Village (The Kerala Vyapari Vyavasai Ekopana Samithy), Ancherichira unit was the organizer of the programme. Nearly two hundred merchants from the village are the members of the association. The District Blood Donation Forum promoted by Kerala State AIDS Control Society with the management support of Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust has given necessary technical guidance and moral support to the programme. <br/></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">While planning the programme, the Organizers of the campaign intended only to accomplish the highest number of bleeding from a single camp, to surpass the existing records in the State. But the programme succeeded in converting the campaign into a community movement, where the community members internalized the need for voluntary blood donation and decided to act accordingly in donating blood voluntarily at regular intervals. <br/></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"><br/></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">Preparations for the campaign started in the month of May 2010. The participatory planning process and the preparatory communication campaigns of the programme in the Village were so effective, that it inspired the whole community to become active partners in the voluntary blood donation programme. As a result, the community took the whole responsibility of a week long campaign conducted as part of the Day observance. They themselves organized awareness classes, motivation camps and house visits in the village to sensitize and induce the community members to join the voluntary blood donation movement of the Ancherichira Village in saving the lives of hapless persons with illnesses or injuries. <br/></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"><br/></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">The members of the Merchants Association divided themselves in groups and visited every nook and corner of the village with the messages of Voluntary Blood Donation. The technical team from HLFPPT and District Blood Donation Forum accompanied them with necessary technical inputs. The Campaign Committee formed by the members of the village, themselves identified and arranged necessary resources viz. human resource, financial resource, etc., for the well conduct of the campaign. <br/></span>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">The air conditioned venue for blood donation, gift for all the volunteers who donated the blood in the camp, IEC Materials, vehicles for transportation, decorations of the venue and the roadway to the venue, entertainments during the camp, refreshments, etc. were arranged with the support of sponsors identified by the campaign Committee. Each member of the Merchants Association brought a minimum of three volunteers to the camp on their own responsibility. <br/></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"><br/></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">Another innovation of the camp is that all the thirty two recently married couples in the village donated their blood during the camp. School going children of the Village demonstrated a massive rally to infuse the message of voluntary blood donation to the community on the day prior to the bleeding camp. Poster exhibitions on voluntary blood donation were also arranged during the campaign to fortify the messages delivered. <br/></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"><br/></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">Blood banks of the Indian Medical Association, Jubilee Medical College, District Hospital, and Government Medical College participated in the blood donation camp. They arranged twenty six bleeding counters in the camp. Several prominent personalities from Kerala participated in the mega campaign. The participation and involvement of the community in the campaign indicates the positive change happened in the mindset of the community regarding Voluntary Blood Donation by the deliberate interventions of Kerala State AIDS Control Society under NACP-III. The community movement at Ancharilchira Village will become a model for the rest of the Villages in the State. The people of Kerala pay homage to all the philanthropists involved in this campaign transforming it into a community movement.</span><br />
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IEC DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY<br/>
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA<br/>
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<b style="">Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT)<br/>
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<br/>FEMALE BLOOD DONORS: ALLEVIATING THE RESISTANCE OF THE COMMUNITYtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-08-31:2028109:BlogPost:251392010-08-31T06:00:00.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">Soumya and her friends are happy today, because they have witnessed the withdrawal of community notions on female blood donation. A huge number of girls and women donated their blood voluntarily during a blood donation camp conducted at Kannur District of Kerala organized as part of the ‘World…</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">Soumya and her friends are happy today, because they have witnessed the withdrawal of community notions on female blood donation. A huge number of girls and women donated their blood voluntarily during a blood donation camp conducted at Kannur District of Kerala organized as part of the ‘World Blood Donors Day – 2010 by Kerala State AIDS Control Society. ‘We were eager to donate blood, but our parents and friends were always discouraging us with irrational reasons’ says Ashily, the gang leader of girls who came from a professional college to donate blood in the Mega voluntary blood donation camp. Out of the 412 voluntary blood donors who participated in the camp, 307 were females below the age of 25. It set a record in Kerala, with the highest number of female volunteers donating blood in a single camp and hence hit headlines in Kerala.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">Though studies show more women than men receive blood, female donation in Kerala is comparatively very less. There are several myths and misconceptions in the community on blood donation, particularly about female blood donation. The community, chiefly parents and elders, oppose the donation by a female donor with prejudiced and absurd arguments like fear of future weakness, especially in reproductive health, fear of possible anemia allied with menstruation and other physiological aspects of women, etc. Interestingly, some patriarchal communities believe that the quality of blood from the weaker sex is not good enough for donation. The other common misconception among laymen is that fresh whole blood is required for transfusion.</span> <br/>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">The camp extenuates such notions of the community by ensuring increased participation through effective communication campaigns and strategic interventions. ‘We were enlightened with the information conveyed in the preparatory classes conducted in our College by Dr. Suresh and Mr. Ganesh Pillai from KSACS’, Ms. Tintu, an 18 year old Engineering student commented. ‘Almost all our friends who attended the class were willing to donate blood for the noble cause of saving lives, but several of them withdrew from donation due to the opposition from their parents’, she regretfully continues.</span></p>
<br/><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">The slogan of the World Blood Donors Day was “New Blood for the World”. Hence we were trying to generate maximum participation of youths, especially girls in the Day’s Observance and could pull off maximum female bleeding in a day, the organizers of the campaign said. ‘For this we focused our preparatory communication interventions in colleges, youth clubs, etc., as part of the campaign and we believe these novices in blood donation in turn will network extensively to encourage other youngsters to donate blood. It will certainly pave way for the availability of safe blood in need from voluntary non-remunerated regular blood donors’, they affirm.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">Mr. Sudhakaran, the elected Member of Parliament from Kannur constituency inaugurated the State Level Campaign by voluntarily donating his blood publicly and it engendered positive spirit among the organizers and participants of the programme. Inspiring from this, almost all the dignitaries present in the inaugural meeting donated blood their zealously.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">24 of such mega blood donation camps were conducted as part of the Day’s Observance on 14th June at various locations across the State. A total of 1410 volunteers donated their blood on the Day for showing their moral obligation to the social cause. Dr. K. Shylaja, Project Director of Kerala State AIDS Control Society was directly involved in the process and led the campaign to a success. Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT) provided all technical<br/> and logistical support to the State Level campaign.</span></p>
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DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY<br/>
</span> <b style=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,<br/>
KERALA<br/>
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Support by:</i></b><br/>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Bernard MT Condensed","serif"; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);">HINDUSTAN LATEX FAMILY PLANNING PROMOTION TRUST (HLFPPT)</span><br/>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal;" align="center"><<<<Visit <a href="http://www.ksacs.in/">www.ksacs.in</a> for best practices from Kerala>>>>></p>
<br/>POLLING BOOTH SURVEY: A SOLUTION TO ASSESS THE BEHAVIORAL IMPACT OF TARGETED INTERVENTIONS IN CONDOM USAGE AMONG FSWS AND MSMStag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-08-09:2028109:BlogPost:244902010-08-09T02:22:29.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">After a much awaited wait, the TI Division and Technical Support Unit of KSACS has come out with a scientific solution for assessing behavioral impact of Suraksha Projects in condom usage and safe sex practices among FSWs and MSMs to reduce the risk of getting HIV and STI. Condom promotion is one of…</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">After a much awaited wait, the TI Division and Technical Support Unit of KSACS has come out with a scientific solution for assessing behavioral impact of Suraksha Projects in condom usage and safe sex practices among FSWs and MSMs to reduce the risk of getting HIV and STI. Condom promotion is one of the core components of targeted interventions implemented under the National AIDS Control Programme, Phase -III (NACP-III). Since the beginning of 1997, Targeted Interventions in Kerala have been measuring the level of condom usage among the target group members through physical verification of number of condoms distributed or through irrational and unempirical methods like counting the number of used condoms in activity places, asking about condom usage during one-to-one/group interactions, etc.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">Kerala State AIDS Control Society is implementing 53 Targeted interventions in the State through Non Governmental Organizations and stakeholder owned Community Based Organizations. Out of this, 19 interventions are exclusively working for female sex workers and 13 for MSMs. It is observed that all these projects are unskilled at assessing the behavioral impact caused by their interventions among the primary stakeholders. Periodical evidence-based empirical assessment of behavioral outcomes produced by the interventions is essential to revise the ongoing behavior change communication strategies. Accurate scientific assessment of condom usage and other service utilization by target group members is indispensable in behavioral outcome assessment.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">Sexual health, particularly condom use is a very sensitive and personal issue that always creates a stumbling block before collecting genuine data to assess the impact of allied services implemented by the Suraksha Projects. The scope of “Polling Booth Surveys (PBS)” reclines here and hence the Technical Support Unit of KSACS (TSU of KSACS) suggests it as a solution to resolve this difficulty. Polling Booth Survey is a kind data collection methodology like group interview method, where respondents give their responses through a ballot box anonymously, and in an unlinked manner.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">During the current phase of intervention, TSU has facilitated Polling Booth Surveys in the FSW/MSM projects with the purpose of evaluating the behavior patterns of MSMs and FSWs in Condom use, risky sexual activities and assess the utilization of services such as STI services, ICTC, etc. The information gathered from the Polling Booth Surveys can be used to monitor some of the behavioral outcomes of TI Programmes by understanding the level of condom use with different partners, STI/HIV Risk perception, high-risk sexual acts like anal sex and experience of violence by the members of high-risk groups.</span><br/></p>
<br/><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">For the well conduct of the Polling Booth Survey, TSU has developed separate questionnaires for MSMs and FSWs that contain systematically furnished scientific closed ended questions in the local language, covering areas like condom usage in last encounter with various partners (viz. paying clients, occasional clients, regular clients, lover, husband/co-habiting partner, etc.,), sex without condom, incidences of condom breakage, barriers in condom usage (Partner’s resistance, Influence of alcohol, Non-availability of condom, and covetousness for more money), risk perception, experience of violence and audit of services availed. The number of PBS in each district is determined proportionately based on the number of FSWs/MSMs line listed. One booth is arranged for the 20 samples selected from every 240 primary stakeholders. Systematic sampling method has been adopted to select the samples from the peer communication units. Stakeholder registration details available at the projects are used to select the required samples.</span><br/>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">During the Survey, the selected respondents/samples are separated from each other in a polling booth environment created by sheets or cardboards. <span style="">Each participant is given three glasses as ballot boxes specified with responses to the question like ‘YES, No, Not Applicable’ and a pack of cards stacked in serial order. The Cards are numbered corresponding to the number of questions in the questionnaire.</span> The Facilitator explains the Polling Booth Survey method with an example and a practice session. She/he reads out the questions one by one, slowly and loudly in local language, so that every participant hears the question clearly. The participants answered each question by dropping the card carrying the question number into any of the three glasses. <span style="">The card is kept outside the glasses, if the participant does not want to respond the question.</span> After administering the questions, the answer cards are collected separately and the number of cards in each box for each question is counted and the tallies are recorded in the reporting form. The group responses are shared with the participants and the discussion points were documented.</span><br/>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">The exercise is found to be excellent in assessing the behavioral outcomes of the targeted intervention initiatives implemented by the project. Since the process offers anonymity to the respondents, it reduces the social desirability bias. It is an efficient and easy tool to administer among both the literate and illiterate respondents by the project functionaries. It provides exact information on condom usage and risk behavior so as to equip the functionaries to analyze the outcome and impact of the intervention. KSACS/TSU is planning to use the method every year to analyze the impact of intervention and to make necessary strategy shifts in the behavior change communication process. It is certain that the process will improve the quality of Suraksha Projects in Kerala which in turn will support NACP to halt and reverse the epidemic by saturated coverage among core high risk groups.<span style=""><br/></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> <b style=""><span style="font-size: 15pt; line-height: 115%; color: red;">BEST PRACTICE<br/>
DOCUMENTATION UNIT<br/>
</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">IEC DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL<br/>
SOCIETY<br/>
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA</span></b><br/>
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<b style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: red;">HINDUSTAN LATEX FAMILY<br/>
PLANNING PROMOTION TRUST (HLFPPT)<br/>
</span></b> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<br/>MEGA STAR VOLUNTEER HIMSELF TO SHOW PUBLIC SUPPORT TO VOLUNTARY BLOOD DONATIONtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-08-02:2028109:BlogPost:242762010-08-02T09:30:00.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
<p align="center" class="CM2" style="margin: 3.4pt 0in; text-align: center; line-height: 150%;"><b style=""><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; color: maroon;"><br></br></span></b></p>
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<p class="CM2" style="margin: 3.4pt 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">Malayalam Cine Mega Star Mr. Dileep…</span></p>
<p class="CM2" style="margin: 3.4pt 0in; text-align: center; line-height: 150%;" align="center"><b style=""><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; color: maroon;"><br/></span></b></p>
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<p class="CM2" style="margin: 3.4pt 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">Malayalam Cine Mega Star Mr. Dileep recently demonstrated the emphasis he places on voluntary blood donation by gathering his fans for blood donation at the Thaluk Head Quarter Hospital, Aluva. He set himself as a role model to his aficionados by donating blood publicly during the blood donation camp.</span></p>
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<p class="CM2" style="margin: 3.4pt 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">It is obvious that celebrities like film stars have great influence among the youth and adolescents. If they use this potential for good, they could actually</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN">inspire accomplishments in our society. The Blood Bank at the Thaluk Head Quarter Hospital, Aluva and the Ernakulam District Blood Donation Forum realized this fact and succeeded in persuading Dileep, the mega star and youth icon of Malayalam Film Industry, who has thousands of admirers in Kerala and in other south Indian States.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">G.P. Charitable Trust, where Dileep has a major stake as founder member, was sensitized about the</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">need and scope of voluntary, non-remunerated, regular blood donation by the Ernakulam District Blood Donation Forum during an interface organized with the Non-governmental Organizations in the District.</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">The enlightenment motivated the Trust members to be the active associate of voluntary blood donation campaign in the District.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">They organized their first blood donation programme on 21<sup>st</sup> March 2010 at Aluva Blood Bank in association with the All Kerala Dileep Fans and Welfare Association.</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">During his inaugural address, the Mega Star made an emotional appeal to thousands of his admirers to take leadership for the noble cause of voluntary blood donation. He reminded that no alternative has been found yet to replace blood. He urged them to become voluntary, non-remunerated, regular blood donors. Dileep wants to ensure</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">voluntary blood donation so that no blood bank in the Sate routinely insists on replacement. He is certain that such initiatives will bridge the existing gap in the State of 3.5 million units per annum. He recommended his followers to conduct similar voluntary blood donation camps in all possible locations in the State.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">The Inaugural meeting of the camp was chaired by Adv. Smitha C Gopi, Municipal Chairperson, Aluva; Dr. G. Babu, President, IMA; Mr. Nijo V.J. Consultant from Kerala State AIDS Control Society; and several other dignitaries from the district attended the inaugural function. Dileep Fans Association representatives from all the 14 Districts of Kerala donated their blood as a symbol of their commitment to propagate the message of voluntary blood donation all over the State.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"></p>
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<p class="CM2" style="margin: 3.4pt 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">Promotion of Voluntary Blood Donation is a strategy of Kerala State AIDS Control Society to ensure sufficient safe blood in all the Blood Banks in Kerala. Involvement of Celebrities like Dileep will certainly generate more safe blood donors who periodically donate their blood voluntarily without expecting any remuneration. His involvement will also be helpful in eliminating discouraging factors like fear, disbelief, etc. existent in the society, regarding blood donation.</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">With this initiative the Mega Star proved that celebrities have the potential to do good things for our Society. During the programme he donated a</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: maroon;">dialysis unit to the Hospital. He also expressed his willingness to become the Brand Ambassador of voluntary blood donation campaign in Kerala, promoted by KSACS through HLFPPT.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/> BEST PRACTICE DOCUMENTATION UNIT<br/> IEC DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY<br/> THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA<br/>
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</span></b> <b style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT)</span></b><b style=""><span style="font-family: "Footlight MT Light","serif"; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><br/>
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<p class="MsoNormal"></p>HIV/AIDS MAINSTREAMING WITH SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT: PIONEER FOR MAINSTREAMING INITIATIVES WITH VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS IN KERALAtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-07-27:2028109:BlogPost:241252010-07-27T13:52:13.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #c00000; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">The Mainstreaming Division of Kerala State AIDS Control Society has started mainstreaming initiatives with the Social Welfare Department, Government of Kerala. This is the first Department selected by KSACS to mainstream HIV/AIDS interventions with the regular and ongoing…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #c00000; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">The Mainstreaming Division of Kerala State AIDS Control Society has started mainstreaming initiatives with the Social Welfare Department, Government of Kerala. This is the first Department selected by KSACS to mainstream HIV/AIDS interventions with the regular and ongoing projects and undertakings of a Government Department in Kerala. It is expected that the effort will blaze a trail to onset mainstream initiatives with other Government Departments in Kerala. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #c00000; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">Department of Social Welfare, Government of Kerala is now one of the major Departments in terms of its size and service delivery, having grass root level network of institutions like Anganwadi Centers for each 800 population; 57300 field staff and 3524 permanent staff. All BPL families, old aged, destitute, disabled and women and children in distress are the direct or indirect beneficiaries of the various schemes implemented by this Department. The Social Welfare Department is intended to provide Social Security and Social defense services to the vulnerable sections of the society</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #c00000; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">. Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS initiatives/interventions in this Department will certainly pave ways and means for sustained impact in combating HIV/AIDS.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #c00000; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Even though there are conflicting themes in HIV/AIDS intervention, Social Welfare Department, with its enormous resources and vast network, can undertake HIV/AIDS and sexual health awareness generation, health education, adolescent education, women empowerment, addressing gender related issues, social marketing to support income generation and supporting de-addiction initiatives. Collectivization & empowerment of female sex workers, harm reduction initiatives in injecting drug use, support for safe sex practices in FSWs and MSMs, etc. are some of the conflicting areas related to HIV prevention initiatives. More such conflicting areas will be recognized jointly by KSACS and Department of Social Welfare. Such areas may not be undertaken by the opposite sector, but it is agreed that either of the sectors shall not openly criticize the other sector’s strategy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #c00000; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt">Social Welfare Department has nominated State Level and District level Nodal Officers to coordinate the HIV/AIDS mainstreaming initiatives at various levels.</span> <font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><span style="COLOR: #c00000; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Mr. Raghavan</span> <span style="COLOR: #c00000">Unni, Joint Director is the State Nodal Officer nominated for the purpose.</span></font></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #c00000; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">An action plan has been developed based on a strategic planning facilitated by professionals who have functional knowledge and understanding on NACP programs and on the mission of the Social Welfare Department. One of the best and innovative initiatives suggested on the basis of this plan is the development of an “<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">HIV Policy for the Social Welfare Department”. All institutions working under the Department is supposed to abide by this policy and undertake welfare initiatives accordingly after the finalization and implementation of the policy.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #c00000; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">The developed action plan identifies seventeen areas where the Department can actively include the HIV/AIDS component. This includes nutrition support to PLHIVs; shelter home for female sex workers in need; care centers for</span> <span style="COLOR: #c00000; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><font face="Calibri" size="3">supporting income generation for people living with HIV/AIDS</font></span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #c00000; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">(PLHIV) and members of high-risk groups; source reduction programs and de-addiction programmes for injecting drug users(IDU); Adolescent development and assertiveness programmes; Interactive awareness program during mothers meets and house visits; Resource pool development through the capacity building of staff members and grass root level workers; display of IEC materials in the institutions; involvement of Anganwadi Workers in stigma reduction, etc.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #c00000; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">KSACS is supposed to provide necessary contributions in the mainstreaming initiatives in terms of technical inputs in various forms, provision of apt resource persons, infrastructure support, capacity building trainings to officials and grass root level workers, provision of IEC materials, etc.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #c00000; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">As an immediate result of the mainstreaming initiatives, the Social Welfare Department</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #c00000; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">sanctioned an amount of Rs.49.64 lakhs for providing nutrimix (nutritious food supplement) to women and children who visits ‘USHAS’ Centers for ART. They also started initiatives to capacitate their grass-root level workforce viz. Anganwadi workers. More programmes are in the pipeline and the Department and KSACS are working towards ensuring its success.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #c00000; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">It is expected that this mainstreaming initiative will help to scale-up the interventions among the general public as well as the vulnerable groups to prevent new infections. It will certainly contribute to halt and reverse the epidemic at the earliest. It will be helpful in integrating the HIV/AIDS issue with the national programmes like ICDS. This initiative will certainly attract more Government Departments in developing HIV/AIDS Policy to incorporate such initiatives with their ongoing activities and programmes.</span></p>
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<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></p>
<p><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: green; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">BEST PRACTICE DOCUMENTATION UNIT <br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: green; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">IEC DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY <br/>THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA <br/></span></b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><font color="#000000"><br/></font></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #0000cc; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Management Support by: <br/>Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT) <br/></span></b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></p>
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<p></p>SNEHA DOUTHYAM: A PRELUDE TO THE COLLABORATION OF KSACS WITH FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN KERALA IN PREVENTING HIV/AIDS AMONG OFF CAMPUS YOUTHtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-07-21:2028109:BlogPost:239212010-07-21T10:12:47.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-family: GoudyOldStyleBT-Bold">It is obvious from the past that faith based organizations (FBO) have great significance in the development sector, especially in public health promotion programmes as they can play an expanded role in…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-family: GoudyOldStyleBT-Bold">It is obvious from the past that faith based organizations (FBO) have great significance in the development sector, especially in public health promotion programmes as they can play an expanded role in accessing the hard-to-reach and vulnerable population groups. Kerala State AIDS Control Society (KSACS) recognizes their role in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment/care of the infected and the affected. KSACS is always keen to associate with such organizations in all possible areas. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-family: GoudyOldStyleBT-Bold">‘Sneha Douthyam’ is such an action programme designed to work in association with an illustrious faith based organization in Kerala named Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM) to promote voluntary blood donation and HIV awareness among off-campus youth in the age of 15-29 years. This is one of the premier HIV prevention initiatives implemented in association with a faith based organization representing a major religious group by a State AIDS Control Society in India. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-family: GoudyOldStyleBT-Bold">Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM) is the official state/regional Organization promoted by the Kerala catholic Bishops Council (KCBC). KCBC is the permanent association of Catholic Bishops from all the 29</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Ecclesiastical Units viz. Arch-diocese and diocese</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-family: GoudyOldStyleBT-Bold">in Kerala. KCBC represent the Christian population in Kerala that comes to about nineteen percent of the total population of Kerala and KCYM represents all Christian youth aged between 15-35 years. KCYM is one of the largest, most stable, and most extensively disbursed organizations in Kerala having grass-root level infrastructures to reach out to the unreached. Being able to leverage volunteers and other resources for proposed actions with minimal efforts, working with them is a cost effective method.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-family: GoudyOldStyleBT-Bold">Nearly nine million people of Kerala are in the age group of 15 – 29, defined as youth in the context of HIV/AIDS interventions. The youth with their physical, psychological and social attributes are more susceptible to sexual curiosity and behaviour that make them vulnerable to HIV infection. KSACS has been trying to reach them through varied channels with relevant messages and information to protect them from HIV infection. One of the major groups that KSACS found difficulty in addressing properly is off-campus youth. The programme, ‘Sneha Douthyam’ evolved from this need. The very concept of the programme promotes informed peer leadership among the youth to create positive attitudes and values that hinder pre-marital/extramarital sexual contact. It visualizes generating the habit of regular blood donation among the youth so as to ensure surplus availability of safe blood for saving lives in need.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-family: GoudyOldStyleBT-Bold">‘Sneha Douthyam’ is an action oriented programme that instills necessary values and attitudes to avoid premarital or extramarital sexual relations by manipulating peer influence effectively. The programme tries to develop the habit of regular blood donation among the youth, essential to overcome the present shortage of safe blood. The programme offers necessary information, education and skill development programmes to the youth to develop less-risky and positive lifestyle that avoid sexual debauchedness including pre-marital or extramarital sex or multi-partner sex. It motivates the youth to avail services like ICTC, STI Clinic, etc. It also educates them on the need and scope of voluntary blood donation and motivates them to become a regular volunteer at a nearby blood bank.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-family: GoudyOldStyleBT-Bold">‘Sneha Douthyam’ will cover a minimum of 175000 youth in the age group of 15 to 29 years with HIV/AIDS information and motivation for periodical voluntary blood donation. KSCAS will support KCYM to develop a minimum of 20 trainers in each diocese. With the help of these trainers, KCYM will develop at least 50 well informed peer leaders in each parish unit, totaling total number will be around 17500. They will be the harbingers of change among their peers. They will positively influence their peers and create safe behavior in the context of HIV/AIDS and develop volunteerism in regular blood donation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-family: GoudyOldStyleBT-Bold">In addition to the above, the programme will effectively use folk-theatre groups, promoted by KCYM in the entire 29 diocese, in communicating HIV/AIDS messages and stigma/discrimination reduction messages to the general public. It is also agreed to include HIV/AIDS and VBD education as a component in the pre-marital course conducted by the diocesan authorities that covers 43500 youth directly every year.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-family: GoudyOldStyleBT-Bold">KSCAS recognizes that the involvement of KCYM or such other faith based organizations in HIV prevention and care will be extremely helpful to reach the hard-core target groups with effective messages and services that prevent the ill effects of HIV/AIDS.</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: GoudyOldStyleBT-Roman">The significance of this approach is that it will not hurt the community, as the conceptualization and the planning is participatory with the community members, it will be aligned with the social norms and traditional moral value system of the community. Such collaborations can ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of the programme.</span></p>
<u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><br style="PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE: always; mso-special-character: line-break" clear="all"/></span></u><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: #c00000; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: #006600; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">BEST PRACTICE DOCUMENTATION UNIT<br/>IEC DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY<br/>THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA<br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: #c00000; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; COLOR: #a50021; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><br/><br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: #17b50b; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Algerian; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">Management Support by:</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: Algerian; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT)<br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: #17b50b; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"></p>BEAUTY MEETS QUALITY; THE QUALITY OF INTERVENTION AMONG FEMALE SEX WORKERS AND THEIR BEHAVIOR CHANGEtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-07-12:2028109:BlogPost:236032010-07-12T09:30:00.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #a50021; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Consciousness of one’s body and beauty plays a great role in developing self-esteem, self-respect and self-confidence that, essential elements for socialization of an individual. Jawahar Suraksha Project, Alappuzha realized this fact from their experience. They witnessed how increased beauty consciousness…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #a50021; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Consciousness of one’s body and beauty plays a great role in developing self-esteem, self-respect and self-confidence that, essential elements for socialization of an individual. Jawahar Suraksha Project, Alappuzha realized this fact from their experience. They witnessed how increased beauty consciousness helps the female sex workers in changing their behavior from unsafe sex practices to safe sex practices. Jawahar is running a beauty parlor exclusively for female sex workers in their Drop in Centre (DIC).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #a50021; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">The very idea to start beauty parlor was emanated from a large mirror installed in the Drop-in-Centre (DIC) by the project to dress up the female sex workers. The project team observed that the mirror became the change agent for their personality, especially in their appearance. It also observed that the changed appearance developed a kind of confidence among them.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #a50021; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Realizing this, the project started a beauty parlor with the support of a beautician having beauty clinics in the district. The project provides free space and necessary basic infrastructure in the DIC for beauty parlor and the beautician offers up to fifty percent reduction in the charges for her services to the stakeholders. The project strived hard to find such a likeminded beautician, who helped the project in starting a beauty parlor with low investment for items like a mirror, chair and a table.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #a50021; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">The beauty parlor provides quality services like hairdressing, facials, and manicures to the stakeholders at a reasonable and affordable rate. Periodically it conducts programmes to educate the ignorant and illiterate female sex workers about beauty and hygiene. Motivation from the project team and experience sharing of the benefited stakeholders attracts a good number of female sex workers, especially youngsters to avail the services of the clinic conducted every Wednesday.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #a50021; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Jawahar Suraksha Project believes that self-consciousness on body and beauty of a female sex worker will definitely enhance her self-esteem, self-respect and self-confidence. This will boost the speed of socialization process of female sex workers to lead their life as normal as possible. The increased self-confidence augments their negotiation skill for safe sex. The improved self-respect creates an attitude among them to protect their body and health from illnesses and abuses. This positive attitude has obviously resulted in increased health seeking behavior and hygiene practices of the female sex workers in the district which the project demonstrates with evidence. The client preferences of the sex workers who availed the services of the beauty parlor have changed and their demand in the sex circuit has hiked due to their improved appearance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #a50021; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">The change brought about by the beauty clinic is more visible among the street based sex workers who left their shabby appearance and life style. It was observed that several of such beneficiaries of the beauty parlor changed their operation strategy from street to mobile phones and it in turn supports the behavior change process. The changed modus operandi causes reduction in their client volume but at the same time able to demand more money for sex due to improved confidence and negotiation skills that indeed avoids low-class alcoholic clients. The hygiene classes arranged by the beauty parlor explain condom usage as a practice for sexual hygiene.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #a50021; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">‘I thank all my peers and the project team who have lent a hand to me in understanding my worthiness as a human being and shun all my inferiority complex. Now, I understand the grandeur of my body and life, and feel myself as worthy to the society. I won’t spoil my life in the street. I want to enjoy this one and only life as I can. Now I am not living on the street but in a rented house. I will purchase a house soon from my increased income. Now I am careful about my body and health. I learned to wear dresses neatly and visiting the beauty parlor regularly to maintain my comeliness. I use condom for preventing STI and HIV/AIDS.’ a 27 year old female sex worker from Alappuzha says confidently.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #a50021; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">The Project recounts the beauty parlor as one of the best strategies to maintain regular contact with young female sex workers. The motivated young sex workers visit the DIC every week to avail the services of the beauty parlor. The increased regular attendance in the DIC offers ample space to provide necessary sexual health services to them on time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #a50021; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">The project is now planning to train some talented and interested CBO members in beauty technique. With the help of such trained community members, the project intends to regularize the activities of the beauty parlor in the DIC.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #a50021; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: #c00000; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: #006600; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">BEST PRACTICE DOCUMENTATION UNIT<br/>IEC DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY<br/>THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA<br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: #c00000; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><br/><br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: #17b50b; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Algerian; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">Management Support by:</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: Algerian; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT)<br/></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11.5pt; COLOR: #17b50b; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"></p>KALALAYATHULLIKAL: VOLUNTARY BLOOD DONATION CAMPAIGNS IN CAMPUSEStag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-06-28:2028109:BlogPost:229922010-06-28T10:07:34.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt; COLOR: #003300; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><font face="Calibri">KALALAYATHULLIKAL: VOLUNTARY BLOOD DONATION CAMPAIGNS IN CAMPUSES…</font></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt; COLOR: #003300; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt"><font face="Calibri">KALALAYATHULLIKAL: VOLUNTARY BLOOD DONATION CAMPAIGNS IN CAMPUSES</font></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Blood, the most essential life saving substance in the world can be produced only from the kind donations of willing persons. No alternative to this indispensable substance has been identified or discovered yet. The vibrant advancement in medical science and increased precarious situations that leads to severe blood related illnesses, injuries, surgeries, etc. has lead to greater requirement of blood to save the life of patients. Promoting voluntary blood donation is the one and only solution to resolve the high demand for blood.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">‘Kalalayathullikal’ (The word meaning Malayalam Word Kalalayathullikal is ‘Drops of Campus) is such a campaign aimed to encourage voluntary blood donation among students and build the habit of regular voluntary donation among them. This innovative attraction is set off by the Voluntary Blood Donation Forum, Thrissur district. The Forum is promoted by the Kerala State AIDS Control Society (KSACS) with the support of Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT), Thrissur District Medical Office and Blood Banks in the District. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">Though several organizations from Kerala engage in promoting the voluntary blood donation, the non-availability of sufficient safe blood for those in need is still rampant. Safe blood donors are the cornerstone of safe and adequate supply of blood and blood products. The safest blood donors are voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors from low-risk populations. Unfortunately such voluntary blood donations are often discouraged by various factors viz.,</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">psychological, sexual fear, fear of getting HIV/AIDS, disbeliefs, patriarchal society, occupation, poverty, religious restriction, etc. Statistics collected across the 144 Blood Banks in the State indicate that the scenario of voluntary blood donation in Kerala before the VBD intervention was only 30%. The percentage is rather low in comparison to the requirement of the blood in the State.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">The exclusive campaign, ‘Kalalayathullikal’ was launched in the month of August 2009. Initially, it was developed as a 100 days campaign that would collect a minimum of 1000 units of blood by promoting volunteerism among the students through motivation and education. Due to increased demand from other colleges, the campaign was extended up to 31<sup>st</sup> December 2009.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">The campaign could establish Blood Donors Forums for</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">recruiting, retaining voluntary and recognition of non-remunerated blood donors</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">in all the colleges’ participant to the programme. It conducted training programmes in all the associated colleges to educate on the need for voluntary blood donation. The training programmes tried to eliminate fears, disbeliefs, etc. of the student community and motivate them to become regular non-remunerated donors. It also explained the disadvantages of blood donation by professional donors. The campaign distributed special certificates to students who donated blood during the campaign. The programme conferred awards on three colleges that donated higher units of blood. A ‘blood greetings day’ was observed on December 9<sup>th</sup>, 2009 in the associating Colleges where students who donated bloods greeted their peers who have not donated yet, using specially designed greeting cards. More than 2000 students participated in the programme.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">During the campaign a total of 1700 units of blood was collected from students. Although more students were ready to donate blood, the facility available for collecting the blood was insufficient. In addition, the campaign could inculcate proper knowledge among the student community regarding the need and scope of voluntary regular blood donation in saving the lives of their co-fellows. It also instilled a positive attitude among the students to become</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">voluntary, non-remunerated, regular blood donors. If proper follow-up takes place, they will remain regular donors all their life.</span></p>
<div style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 2.25pt double; mso-element: para-border-div"><p class="MsoNormal" style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; mso-border-bottom-alt: double windowtext 2.25pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'">National AIDS Control Programme III (NACP III) of National AIDS Control Organization not only focuses on ‘blood safety’ but also on blood donor motivation, retention, and awareness elements related to blood safety. The Campaign ‘Kalalayathullikal’ certainly contributes to blood donor motivation through proper awareness and education.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: #003a03; FONT-FAMILY: 'Bauhaus 93'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">BEST PRACTICE DOCUMENTATION UNIT</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #000099; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">IEC DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1">THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA, INDIA</span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><font size="3"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1">Management Support By</span></i></b></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #5a0202; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">HINDUSTAN LATEX FAMILY PLANNING PROMOTION TRUST (HLFPPT)</span></b></p>
<div style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; BACKGROUND: white; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 2.25pt double; mso-element: para-border-div"><p class="MsoNormal" style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; BACKGROUND: white; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 5pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; mso-border-bottom-alt: double windowtext 2.25pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA, INDIA</span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"></p>CORPORATE RESPONSE TO HIV/AIDS: A REPLICABLE STORY FROM TECHNOPARK, TRIVANDRUMtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-06-23:2028109:BlogPost:227842010-06-23T05:25:26.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: MinionPro-Regular"><br></br>
</span><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: MinionPro-Regular"><br/>
</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="center"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: MinionPro-Regular"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #003a03; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Franklin Gothic Demi Cond','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: MinionPro-Regular">CORPORATE RESPONSE TO HIV/AIDS: A REPLICABLE STORY FROM TECHNOPARK, TRIVANDRUM</span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: MinionPro-Regular">The Mainstreaming Division of KSACS is on right track in sensitizing the corporate sector and attracting their resources to initiate workplace interventions. The pilot</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">effort</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: MinionPro-Regular">made by Mainstreaming Division with the</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">Group of Techno Park Companies (GTECH), was such an</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: MinionPro-Regular">endeavor</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">which produced positive responses, igniting the inspiration for focused efforts with more companies in corporate sector.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: MinionPro-Regular">There is no doubt that HIV/AIDS has direct impact on a corporate firm’s productivity and profitability. It can be a cause for greater absenteeism and staff turnover, higher recruitment and training costs, higher costs in medical care or insurance coverage, retirement funds, etc. A less obvious but equally important cost is declining morale and productivity among employees. Human rights violation may also happen to the infected employees in the work place due to the associated stigma and discrimination. AIDS not only affects the health of workers; it also takes a toll on their savings, resources of their families, and their productivity as they start spending more time taking care of the sick. In India the Government or health sector alone cannot prevent this scenario; they need support both in terms of policy level and action level from the business sector. Now the situation looks for bold actions from the business sector.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: MinionPro-Regular">The adoption of an HIV/AIDS Policy for its member companies by GTECH with the catelistic involvement of Mainstreaming Division of KSACS is such a bold initiative to save their human work force from the octopus grip of HIV/AIDS.</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">GTECH, The Group of Technopark Companies, founded in 2000, represented by the CEO’s of the companies in Technopark, is the apex organization of companies in Technopark.</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The GTECH mission is to promote the cause of the community of IT companies in Kerala, with specific emphasis on the overall development of the State.</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #5a0202; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Spread over nearly 300 acres with 2.1 million sq. ft. of built-up space available currently, Technopark hosts over 120 IT and ITES companies employing over 15,000 IT professionals.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The Policy proclaims their commitment to inculcate awareness of HIV/AIDS at the deepest level among the member companies, their employees and their families to prevent its occurrence. It ensures that members do not discriminate against any employee with HIV/AIDS. The policy offers their willingness to launch regular awareness programmes with strong messages on HIV/AIDS in all the Government owned information Technology Parks in the State. The policy expresses their readiness to collaborate with KSACS and other concerned State level or National Level Government Institutions to work for the prevention of HIV/AIDS.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The G-TECH companies are now active in HIV/AIDS awareness programmes. They have</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">incorporated a module on HIV/AIDS in their staff induction training program</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">. They are enthusiastically associating with the voluntary blood donation programme on a regular basis and on conducting education programmes on safe blood donation to their employees. They have</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">linked the website of KSACS to the website of G-Tech. They also readily associate with various HIV related campaigns and observance of various days like World AIDS Day, World Blood Donation day, etc.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: maroon; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">The Mainstreaming Division maintains regular contact with the executive committee of G-Tech in search of expanding the collaboration to additional areas. This effort will certainly boost up the morale of Mainstreaming Division to extend its efforts to more other corporate institutions in the State. It will in turn help start more work place interventions to prevent HIV in the corporate sector. It will also serve our work force with sufficient messages and services on HIV and its prevention.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #000099; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">IEC DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY</span></b></p>
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<div style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 2.25pt double; mso-element: para-border-div"><p class="MsoNormal" style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; mso-border-bottom-alt: double windowtext 2.25pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><font color="#000000">THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA, INDIA</font></span></b></p>
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<p></p>SPANDANAM – COMBATING HIV/AIDS THROUGH EMPOWERMENTtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-06-21:2028109:BlogPost:226702010-06-21T05:34:11.000ZBPDUhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/BPDU
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><font color="#000000">SPANDANAM – COMBATING HIV/AIDS THROUGH EMPOWERMENT…</font></span></u></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><u><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><font color="#000000">SPANDANAM – COMBATING HIV/AIDS THROUGH EMPOWERMENT</font></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><font color="#000000">Grass root level interventions are needed to seize the attack of predator virus called HIV that causes the condition labeled as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS. Kerala State AIDS Control Society (KSACS) is committed to undertake all possible initiatives to stop HIV and protect the precious life of the people of Kerala. Many such initiatives and innovations became “Model” for other States in India. KSACS always tries to unite with other similar Departments, Institutions and Personalities that can contribute to the sexual health/HIV prevention programmes.</font></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><font color="#000000">“Spandanam” is such a programme initiated by KSACS in association with the Social Welfare Department, Government of Kerala for the precise prevention of HIV at the grassroots. The programme aims to capacitate the workers of Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS) in Kerala who have strong contacts among, and interactions with the people, especially with women and children in rural and urban areas.</font></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><font color="#000000"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">ICDS is a National Programme initiated 1975 to improve the health standards of woman and children through proper</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">supplementary nutrition, immunization, regular health check-up, effective referral services, pre-school non-formal education and proper health education. ICDS programme in Kerala uphold high standard in service delivery through Anganwadi Centres and is result oriented. The maximum allotted population for an Anganwadi under ICDS scheme is 800-1000. The Anganwadi workers, spearheads of the ICDS programme maintain adorable rapport with the people of the area assigned to them. The Anganwadi workers are the ladies</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">selected from the local community who knows the pulse of the community very well. They</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">always</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">act as agent for social change, mobilizing community support for better health and care of the young children, girls and women residing in the area.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><font color="#000000">Through ‘Spandanam’ KSACS tries to incorporate HIV programmes with the regular activities of the Anganwadi workers. If they are properly integrated to the HIV programme, they can address the HIV/AIDS/Sexual health messages, services and commodities to the needy on time. As agent of social change, they can fight against stigma and discrimination suffered by HIV infected or affected people. ‘Spandanam’ aims to educate all people, particularly women and adolescent girls on HIV/AIDS, its impact, available services to combat it, gender issues associated with it, etc. through the empowerment of Anganwadi Workers. It also aims to improve the HIV service uptake by the needy people through effective referrals. </font></span></p>
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<p class="Default" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><font size="3"><span style="COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">The first phase</span> <span style="COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">of the capacity building programme under ‘Spandanam’ was conducted during the months of October and November 2009. The Anganwadi Workers of Kozhikode and Ernakulum districts were covered during the first phase. These are the only two districts coming under the HIV prevalence category of ‘B Districts’ in NACO estimation <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">(</i>B Category: Less than 1% ANC prevalence in all the sites during last 3 years with more than 5% prevalence in any HRG(STD/FSW/MSM/IDU) sites) from the State, where intensive intervention is needed among the whole population.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-hyphenate: none"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><font color="#000000">A total of 5698 workers from 5698 Anganwadies were covered by 123 batches of training under ‘Spandanam’ during its first phase. A worker covers an average of 800 people during her regular work and hence the programme will benefit a total of 4558400 people from both the districts in due course. The programme expects that all the women population in these districts to become well aware about HIV/AIDS and thereby prevent new infections. It is also expected that the uptake of ICTCs and other services will be improved through this programme. It is anticipated that a harmonious environment will be created for HIV infected people to live in the community without any sort of discrimination. It will also ensure that no child is sent out from the Anganwadi on account of HIV infection.</font></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-hyphenate: none"><font color="#000000"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Prevention of new infections through the saturated coverage of high risk groups and scaling up interventions for the general population is one of the major objectives of NACP-III to achieve its stated goal of</span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">‘halt and reverse the epidemic in India over the next five years’. ‘Spandanam’ will certainly support the scaling up HIV/AIDS/Sexual Health interventions among the general population.</span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-hyphenate: none"><font color="#000000"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">BEST PRACTICE DOCUMENTATION UNIT</span></b></font><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><br/></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"><font color="#000000">IEC DIVISION, KERALA STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY<br/>THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA</font></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><br/><font color="#000000">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/><br/><br/>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/></font></span><font color="#000000"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Management Support by:<br/>Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust (HLFPPT)<br/></span></b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></font></p>
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