SEVAI Organised Community Events for Target groups under Target Intervention of HIV/AIDS

Community get together- community event

SEVAI Organized Community Events for target communities under Target Intervention of HIV/AIDS Supported by TANSACS/NACO/DAPCU in Trichirappalli.The community events had been organised with the aims that          Community events would be a great motivation to Target community and as inspiring·        event to create  Behavioural Change,to impart appropriate Life Skill Education,to bring zero new

·        HIV infections,to motivate and increase Referral and Linkages and to eliminate totally the stigma and discrimination

  Around 60 target members of the target community  and PLHIVs of Trichirappalli SEVAI Target area enthusiastically participated in the community event in Allur of Trichirapalli.The thematic Rangoli, the lighter mode of various games and sports,  Quiz programme,singing competitions, etc were conducted on 28^th September. The Project Manager welcomed the gathering and the counselors and other functionaries of SEVAI Team facilitated the community events where the target community felt lighter and comfortable in participating such events.SEVAI Team conducted these events in stigma free atmosphere with a lot of positive approach and motivation.SEVAI SHG members and members of staff and Link Workers Scheme functionaries also encouraged the community to participate in good spirits.The counselor of Government Hospital-Trichy,Mr.Godson enlightened the importance  of community events and spoke on the need for behaviour changes.Mrs.Mohana Sundaram,PM of TI,Mrs.Uma,Jona Kalavathi,J,Amala,Vidya,meena,Jayanthi and C.Suda,X.Maria and other members of SHG staff made elaborate arrangements for this community event.

Mr. Godson also further mentioned, “Behaviour change is a cornerstone to HIV prevention. It

Group games as part of community event

refers to a process of individuals adopting and maintaining positive health behaviours. The mandate of Behaviour change is to promote positive health behavior for prevention of HIV infection among different target audiences in the society. Behaviour change among individuals and communities is achieved through a combination of communication approaches and strategies/interventions on STI/HIV prevention. The approaches used by SEVAI are aimed at influencing behaviours of individuals and communities through targeted psychological positioning of information accompanied by activities to encourage social and cultural changes and to promote the adoption and reinforcement of desired behaviours to promote safer practices and communicating correct messages on HIV prevention to their clients”.

Prizes distributed by GH-Counselor to the winners

Mrs.Vanitha,SHG Coordinator of SEVAI  enlightened the community on livelihood promotion as income for the family and she made special mention about the formation and linkage with the bank and the Government of special groups for the community. In his closing remarks, the Project holder of SEVAI, K.Govindaraju mentioned, “Targeted Intervention (TI) is one of the main components of HIV/AIDS intervention. The Program has been implemented as guided by TANSACS to reduce the rate of HIV transmission among the Core Group viz. Female Sex Workers (FSWs), Men having Sex with Men (MSMs) and Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) & Bridge populations like migrants and truckers. Increasing awareness of HIV/AIDS helps people to feel empowered to take responsibility of their own sexual health by assessing their own risks and protecting themselves from HIV/AIDS. Targeted programmes are also conducted with specific messages crafted and woven into these customised interventions. The TANSACS promoted target intervention programme largely achieved in SEVAI Target area by creating  awareness and increase their perceived susceptibility of getting infected with the HIV;encouraged them to protect themselves or reduce their risk of getting infected with the HIV by maintaining a safe, single-partner relationship, avoiding casual sex, avoiding sex with multiple partners and sex with sex workers,practising correct and consistent condom use when engaging in risky sexual practices and encouraged those practising unprotected sex to undergo early and regular HIV testing so that infection are detected as early as possible. Mrs.Mohana Sundaram in her introductory note ,"SEVAI informs its target community that there are rights to protect individuals from being infected with HIV. A person who is HIV positive is required to inform his/her sex partner of his status. If he/she is uncertain of his HIV status and has been practicing risky behaviors, he is required to take protective measures to prevent infecting his/her sexual partner. In addition to the direct intervention, the TI Programme also continues to create awareness and educate the general public on the seriousness of HIV/AIDS, the different modes of transmission,behaviours that can put one at risk of HIV infection, such as having casual sex, having multiple sexual partners, having sex with  sex workers, injecting drug use, and receiving blood that is contaminated with HIV,the importance of maintaining a safe, single-partner relationship, the importance of going for early and regular

Thematic Rangoli as part of community event

HIV screening if one thinks that he or she is at risk of HIV infection and reducing the stigma against people living with HIV/AIDS. Mrs.Uma,SEVAI Counselor of the TI Program mentioned that the services provided in this target intervention program are Promotion of condoms, linkages to STI  services and health services with a strong referral and follow-up system, Promotion/distribution of free condoms and other commodities, Linkages to other health services  and integrated counseling and testing centres (ICTC),Provision of safe spaces (drop-in-centres).Uma also mentioned that SEVAI also works towards Creating an Enabling Environment, Advocacy with key stakeholders,Crisis management systems and Legal/rights education and Community Mobilization and SEVAI serves for the community ownership of the TI's goals to serve to protect and prevent HIV/AIDS to the HRGs, FSWs, high risk MSM and IDUs by crating a   space by organizing  community events and Building capacity of FSW, MSM and IDU groups to assume ownership of the programme”. Mrs.Jona Kalavathy thanked the TANSACS and the associated officers/functionaries in Trichirappalli District for their project/technical support for the successful implementation of Target invention project in K.Abisekapuram and Ponmalai divisions of Trichirappalli City Municipal corporation area. Prizes were distributed by Guests of honour for the winners of the events and also the participants of the events as motivational gesture.The participants expressed their gratitude to organisers for organising such an event which made them lighter in heart-Govin