Bridging the Gap: Conference Record [Abstract book, International Conference on AIDS (12th: 1998: Geneva, Switzerland)]

12th World AIDS Conference

Abstracts 34296-34300 743

Methods: Lawig Bubai board of directors, officers and active members were
interviewed. Likewise, focus group discussion was conducted with non-members
to determine the extent of services rendered by the organization to these women.
Data on the history of its formation, vision, mission and goals of the organization,
its programs and services and strategies utilized were gathered.
Results: A. LB's HIV/AIDS education program: One-on-one session in city
health, study groups, half-day seminar, theater forum, media advocacy and mobilization, counselling and referrals, IEC materials, condom distribution and skills
development
B. Organizing Methods and Processes and Effects to Women
(1) Contacts were established in workplaces and resulted to the formation
of 30 core groups from different establishments. Core groups helped in the
implementation of LB's HIV/AIDS education program.
(2) Developed capability of core group members in the field of counselling,
education and organizing.
(3) Expanded its membership from 30 in its founding year to 180 this year.
(4) Developed women's self-esteem and confidence.
(5) LB leaders are more articulate in discussing issues related to HIV/AIDS and
prostitution.
Conclusion: Lawig Bubai has able to reach 60% of the women in the entertainment industry in Davao City. The establishment of LB inspired the women
from 2 cities in Mindanao namely General Santos and Cagayan de Oro City to
form their own organization. The capability program of the organization assures
a sustained HIV/AIDS education for the women in the sex industry.
34296 Living within support group in Peru
Tomas Raul Sinchi Contreras. Tr. Paraguay 487, Lima - 01, Peru
Issue: Knowing the opinions and perception the people have that live with
VIH/AIDS in relationship support groups in Peru.
Project: In Peru exist an approximate of 20 group of mutual aid, of the which, 14
participate in the Net, of Communication and information of support groups from
Peru. The support groups is organization not formal directed personal living with
VIH/AIDS starting from my experience like Secretary of my Support Group, and
with 3 years of diagnosis. I had the opportunity of relating me with several groups
and brother of blood, form there the idea surged of knowing objective through a
Survey some looks related with the opinions and perceptions of the companion
concerning their living within the of Support Groups and some conducts of risk
whose outputs could improve the operations of our groups.
Results: The 75% they of the sourveyed people are males, men most between
the 30 to 39 years, 80% singles, 55% with grade of superior instruction a 30%
not to be acquainted with the phase of the illness in the one which they meet.
The 55% they are unemployed the one which decrease their situation for the cost
that she only demands a 2% mark don't have no family support, we found that
the 60% of interviewed mark that in the last year had been more than two sexual
pairs they of them have had sexual relationship only the 50% used condom the
55% are attended to in the social security, the 80% don't receive treatment antiretroviral they entered the group for invitation (45%) from there is the importance
of carrying out shop of capacitation of pairs. Are observed that the 50% they of
them belong tomore than one sopport group. They quality like good (60%) their
participation in these groups and the 95% mark that it is important to belong to a of
support groups. The helps them in looks like accept their diagnosos interchange
experiences, emotional support and like a space recreative. The topics that are
interested in you that they are dealt in the group they are related to increment
their knowledge on the illness and other topics like sexuality, affective, and shops
of artisans.
Lesson Learned: - It is very important the existence of the suport groups.
- The support groups work with techniques behavior's changes.
- To crate workshops to quality pairs that live with VIH/AIDS.
S34297 STD/HIV/AIDS intervention through integrated social
development issues for rural unorganised sex-workers
(SWS)
Kali Sankar Ghosh. 2/45 Naktala, Calcutta 700047, India
Objectives: To alleviate poverty among the rural unorganised SWs through
different development programmes, which in turn helps the community to be
less vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. To form self help groups (SHGs) among the rural
unorganised SWs.
Problem: Acute poverty compels rural sex workers to practise unprotected sex
thus making them vulnerable to HIV transmission.
Methods: A base line survey of 553 sex workers was followed by a need
assessment which emphasised on socio economic development. For this development process, initially, a group of 187 sex workers were chosen the stages
of different development activities followed by us are given below-door to door
visit; informal group meeting with teaching aids; awareness on STD/HIV; free
health clinic with free distribution of medicine; condom promotion through free
distribution; training on various health, social and self development issues; sanita
tion; adult education and pre-primary school for SWs children; vocational training
(tailoring); different income generation activities throug savings & micro-credit;
counselling clients; legal support; formation of SHGs.
Results: When the project started, literacy rate was 17-65%. Now literacy rate
is 48.28%, 2% to 3% of SWs use condoms, that too rarely, initially. Now 92-08%.
SWs make their clients use condoms regularly. II SWs left their profession 8
are now working as peer educators. SHGs have been formed. These SHGs are

helping other SWs to form new SHGs. With the help of credit few SWs are doing
micro enterprise as substitute income.
Conclusions: This approach has helped the illiterate unorganised sexworkers
to steadily form SHGs and protect themselves from both, being infected by HIV
or transmission of HIV. This approach can be implemented for any unorganised
section for preventing HIV infection.
34298 The role of the self-help in mutual helping groups
Jose Luis Asencios Vega. Av Ignacio Merino 1855 Of 301 Lima-14, Peru
Objectives: - To give emotional support through self-help.
- To recuperate the self-estimation
- To give security through knowledge.
Project: People who live with HIV/AIDS that participate in mutual helping
groups, can get thanks to the selfhelp, to accept, to understand and to comprehend faster their diagnosis. Usually, it is integrated by persons with something
in common, in this case, they are persons that livewith HIV/AIDS, and it's the
adquired experience, during their diagnosis, that take them to work the selfhelp
and conduct their couple advice (from HIV to HIV) inside those places created by
mutual helping groups, people can express their feelings, to share and interchang
experience, therapies and to receive through advice emotional support and to be
derivated to specialized health services identified with HIV/AIDS.
Results: During last years, the persons living with HIV/AIDS, have seen the
necessity to create and integrate spaces, where we can interchange positive or
negative experiences and knowledge that can serve us like emotional support.
In Lima, the Peruvian capital, there are 14 mutual helping groups, showing their
importance.
Lessons Learned: During the last 3 years, there have appeared many mutual
helping groups, which have demonstrated that are practiced part of the books; we
can live with HIV/AIDS. Those who participated of them could understand their
diagnosis, have normal life and have their own projects.
S34299 Promoting physical and mental health rehabilitation of
people living with HIV/AIDS
Samran Tagun. New Life Friends association 9157 M003 Suthep Rd. Chiangmai
50200, Thailand
Issue: People living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) need physical and mental health
rehabilitation. The need is best met through the establishment and maintenance
of a PHA peer support group.
Project: The Centre for Physical and Mental Health Rehabilitation of People
Living with HIV/AIDS is a project conducted by New Life Friends Association
(NLFA), and is funded on a year-by-year basis by the Royal Thai Government
and non-government organizations (NGOs). NLFA is a peer support group of
PHAs in northern Thailand, particularly in Chiangmai, Chiangrai and Phayao
provinces. NLFA is run by a committee and provides a variety of support services
for PHAs including counseling, referrals, arrangements for exemption of medical
care costs, exchange/sharing of information and experiences, AIDS education
activities for the community, home visits, networking and capacity building for
small PHA peer support groups.
Results: NLFA has succeeded in providing necessary support services for its
thousands-strong members, and has become the largest PHA peer support group
in the country. Aiming at enabling PHAs to live a normal life in society, NLFA
now conducts monthly meetings, provides free medical check-ups, organizes
occasional seminars, provides data and information for members and the general
public, as well as conducts skills-building sessions for PHAs who join the network
of co-operating with government agencies and NGOs at the community level.
Lessons Learned: NLFA, which is Thailand's first PHA peer support group that
is completely run by PHAs themselves, has become the model for almost 200
other such groups in the north. Reflecting a new dimension in AIDS work which
focuses on concrete adoption of folk wisdom in AIDS interventions, it has also
become an example of PHA activities for other countries in the region and in the
world. Such PHA experiences should be presented in international conferences
as evidences of PHAs' potentials in solving the AIDS problem.
S34300 Community care and program support for AIDS orphans
in Abidjan
Affoue Jeanne Kouame, Therese Tanoh, Christine Gonhy, Benedicta Koyakou.
Lumiere Action, 14. BP. 2101. Abidjan, 14, Cdtete D'lvoire
Issues: AIDS orphans from poor families need care and support in their communities of origin. Their families need help to send them to school, feed, clothe, and
nurse them.
Project: Given the rapid increase in the number of AIDS orphans in Abidjan,
through the NGO "Lumiere Action", the West African Network of PWAs NGOs
(RAP+) has initiated assistance during two years for communities affected by
home care and support for home visits. The families receive monthly assistance

in the form of food (rice) and basic hygiene requirements (soap). The orphans
themselves are followed up medically (basic drugs). The children's school fees are
paid once a year; the youth are given technical training prior to receiving help to
start job. The expected outcome is for families to be independent, benefitting from
income-generating activities developed with financial assistance from the project.
Results: 50 school-age children (10 from each district in the capital), from 6-14
years, enrolled in school by the project; 25 youth, from 14-20 years, prepared for