Jalukie village scores high on inclusion!

[Rituu B. Nanda]

{This is a contribution by Fr Joe Ngamkhuchung of People in Need Foundation, Northeast India. I wish I could convey the joy and pride in his voice when he spoke to me today. Irang, you are doing great. Keep going ! }

If ACP means Community Power, they are already there! Along with the Chairman and the Council members of the Village, were the youth and student leaders, during the SALT visit on 7th August 2009.

Dimapur ACP facilitation team led by Joe Ngamkhuchung of People in Need Foundation, had a surprise waiting for them, if they had any plan to encourage the village. “Healthy and HIV free community “ was the community dream. The community was well aware of HIV. The visiting team listened with joy and amazement learning what was happening in the community.

“We have organized Voluntary Blood test for the village with doctors! We want to know our status and help each other' was the reason behind the Voluntary blood test.

There were people known to be living with the virus in the village. The question was how to prevent further infection and care for the infected. “There is no question of throwing them out, we want to know how to care for them and not get infected ourselves.”

Fr. Joe shared his experience of living with PLHIV in the same house, cooking and eating together. How he had cared for more than 300 PLHIV in his Care Centre without being infected. He knows how to manage!

The sharing strengthened their resolve to learn more on providing care and support. The action plan was that after ACP event in Mizoram, Irangbui, leader of the NGO in Jalukie, would organize ACP sessions with youth, women and the leaders. The time was set for October 2009.

[Joe Ngamkhuchung]

Thanks rituu, for your surprizing ventures. We do lots of things but you know how to market things! Where did you learn marketing Business?? Great thanks.

[Laurence Gilliot]

Great news, Irang! It seems that this community has a lot to share already with communities who want to learn about acknowledgement and recognition.

What teams in DR-Congo do is that they systematically invite 2-3 people from communities they work with to join the facilitation team. In this way, the team grows and the community benefits from a continuous accompagniment.
Just an idea :-)

Thanks for capturing, Rituu!

Laurence