Village Molvum transfers ACP to Village Maova

[Zoengpari]

In March this year I facilitated a discussion on transfer and care linked to change during the evaluation of UNAIDS-funded ACP project in Northeast India. I am posting two short stories shared by my group members- Jacinta, Bijoya, Sangi, Themnu, and Nemboi. The first story is on how the approach was transferred to another village and the second story is how care led to change in the second village. Regards, Maii

Transfer from Village Molvum to Village Maova
ACP was introduced in Molvum in May 2009. A facilitation team was formed which started SALT visits in the village. Molvum village wanted to share the experiences of ACP with the neighbouring villages. So the facilitation team from Molvum did a SALT visit with Khaibung, Bungsang, Maova and Shirima. The Molvum team met the village authorities and sought a permission to implement ACP. The first ACP meeting of the five villages was held on 14 October 2009 in Molvum church. In the meeting the leaders of the five villages passed the resolutions to work together for ACP and declared the villages as ACP villages. The meeting also resolved to provide two volunteer from each village to assist ACP team. A facilitation team was thus formed in Village Moava.

Story of Bori* from Maova village (Care linked to change)
I got married to Angam who was an IDU in 2001. After two years of our marriage Angam expired. I was pregnant. I left my in laws home because they were old and went to live with my parents. There I delivered a daughter who is six years old now. I am dependent on my parents. In April 2008 I got tested and found that both my daughter and I were HIV positive. I was depressed, scared and felt ashamed to get out of my house. I was
worried that who would die first me or my daughter. I was counselled and then referred to ART centre, DIC and Positive living Centre. I am on ART and so is my daughter. Only my family knew of my status. I isolated
myself and stopped any social interaction with the community members.

The ACP team in one of their visits to my village, Maova, discussed with elders to have a community meeting. In the SALT visit of the facilitation team of our village met communities in the community hall. After the open discussion I felt confident and declared my status there in the meeting. Now I receive more love, care and attention from my neighbours.

I was so inspired that I joined the village facilitation team. I started involving myself in the team activities and doing home visits with them. I motivated my villagers for blood test and in March 2010- 63 got themselves tested. The Maova SALT team also reached out to New Maova which is two kms away and conducted blood test.

Lessons learnt by the team:

· We learnt that the village had strengths and unity to work together

· Love and care can bring change in individuals and the community

· We want to learn more

· It made us feel better as a person

· We find it important to help others

· Still we have time to prevent new infection

· We hope that that neighbouring village will be covered through ACP

· Its a voluntary work to help people as I am not paid

* Name changed

[Laurence Gilliot]

Dear Maii,

Thank you for sharing this wonderful experience. I guess you must have had a beautiful exchange during the meeting :-) the stories are so touching and encouraging.

In terms of transfer it is interesting to see that transfer happens naturally. Isn't it true that when we get to know something that we find beautiful and that is useful we want to share it with others?
What was your role as facilitator in stimulating that transfer?

Thank you,

Laurence