EMPOWERMENT OF THE PERSONS INFECTED / AFFECTED WITH HIV / AIDS – AN NGO APPROACH

Dear All

ABSTRACT

Health issues affect the development and the normal life of the people in general and significantly in the rural villages. Among them HIV / AIDS is the killer disease which is mostly invited by us where as the attributes vary like poverty, poor awareness and its consequences. The stigma, discrimination and isolation associated with this issue further deepen their poverty and thus keeping away form the mainstream and development. The situation is alarming in the coastal villages of Andhra Pradesh and government & NGOs are working hand in hand to address the challenges covering social, medical & developmental with suitable strategies and thus working on one side for their rehabilitation and another side to prevent it.

The empowerment of the people infected and / or affected with HIV / AIDS involves early identification & intervention, care & support for medical, educational, nutrition, household needs etc., training in vocational trades. Grouping them particularly the women in to self help groups with microfinance system helps for the self employment and thus better income generation for quality living. The networking with the service providers, government and other stakeholders’ helped for better linkages and thus improved the access for all their entitlements. The referral system improved the confidence level of the needy to look for better living on long term basis.

The care, support, training and rehabilitation extended to the needy helped for enhanced capacities and able to manage their issues covering social, medical and developmental. The children both infected and affected could continue their education like their normal counter parts. Their positive initiation to work as volunteers helped other needy to come forward at an early stage and thus able to get the maximum benefit. Further it helped to get their entitlements with better access and participation in the mainstream at all levels. This resulted for the acceptance of the community to take them as the part of community as a productive member in the development.

The early identification & interventions extended for the people infected and affected with HIV / AIDS helped to reduce the stigma and minimized the secondary affects. The rehabilitation covering the areas of social, medical and developmental reduced the barriers and thus enhanced the access for entitlements. The vocational training supported with micro finance system helped to generate better revenue thus worked for their economical empowerment. The training and rehabilitation model can be replicated else where having similar environment matching to the challenges and needs.

Looking forward...

PS: Paper presented at International Seminar