General population who are at risk (in particular, border areas)
High risk populations: commercial sex workers (CSWs), migrant workers, practicing homosexuals and IV drug users
People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and their families
Children who are HIV positive
Why we do what we do?
Yunnan province is the primary hotspot for HIV in China. Of those documented to have HIV in China, one half live in Yunnan
Stigma towards those with HIV/AIDS overwhelms our ability to convince people to go for voluntary counselling and testing for HIV. Therefore, we strive to establish better understanding of how HIV is and is not spread, and build the public’s acceptance of those affected by welcoming them into normal social, educational and workplace situations
AIDS orphans need to be loved like any other child. Society needs to see families modelling this love
What do we offer?
HIV prevention projects which include holistic life-skills training, targeting villagers in high risk border areas and migrant workers
CSW intervention projects – protecting CSWs through behavioural change education, distribution of high-quality condoms, on-going medical assistance and skills training including the goal of revocation
Helping PLWHAs through micro-enterprise projects and establishing community peer support groups
What are our objectives?
Reduction of risky behaviors in target populations
Reduction of stigma against PLWHA in target populations
Support and care of PLWHA and the HIV-affected
Mobilizing the local community to take ownership of the HIV situation in Yunnan
What has been achieved to date?
More than 600 CSWs at different sites have been helped. Many CSWs have left sex trade and are now currently in other more advantageous employment
HIV knowledge and reported stigma towards HIV have improved significantly in high HIV prevalence areas. Therefore voluntary HIV testing has increased. More than 840,000 people have attended behavioural change communication activities
HIV prevention education has been given to more than 1,000 migrant workers
More than 400 PLWHAs and methadone users have been directly and indirectly helped emotionally, physically, and socioeconomically
More than 3,000 university students have undergone HIV and life-skills training and are currently being followed up