FHI Recognizes Four Organizations for HIV/AIDS Efforts - July 22, 2002
NGOs in Cambodia, Ghana, Indonesia and Kenya Receive Awards

WASHINGTON – Family Health International is honoring four organizations from Africa and Asia for their extraordinary work in HIV/AIDS prevention and care.

Each organization–the Ghana Police Service, the Kenya Girl Guides Association, Cambodia's Meatho Phum Ko'mah and the Spiritia Foundation of Indonesia–represents a program developed and led by community members to respond to the unique needs and resources available in their countries.

"The initiative, commitment and energy of these institutions are reasons for hope in the global efforts to combat this disease. We are delighted to honor these four impressive organizations for the excellent work they are doing," said Peter Lamptey, MD, DrPH, president of FHI's Institute for HIV/AIDS.

The Ghana Police Service HIV/AIDS Programme reaches more than 17,000 police personnel across the country through some 400 peer educators who use a curriculum created specifically for this critical target population. The program recently launched a voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) facility at the police hospital and has developed innovative behavior change materials–including a "condom wallet" that is worn on the belt and is now a standard component of the Ghana police uniform. The program is being expanded to reach the remaining police across the country and to provide leadership for the introduction of a broader program aimed at Ghana's uniformed (police and military) services.

The Kenya Girl Guides Association is a model program for scaling-up community-based initiatives to have national-level impact. Through its network of Guide Leaders, KGGA has trained more than 1,500 Girl Guides as peer educators to educate and disseminate information to students and community members. To date, they have reached more than 25,000 young people. KGGA has introduced a progressive series of "HIV and AIDS" badges–beginning with Brownies aged 7-10, Girl Guides aged 10-14, and Ranger Guides from 14-18 and 19-25–which girls earn by carrying out various HIV/AIDS activities. In a country where credible programs for youth have been difficult to establish, the KGGA program has mobilized a broad range of community leaders to support HIV/AIDS programming for youth, especially for young girls who are not yet sexually active.

Meatho Phum Ko'mah ("Homeland") is a Cambodian non-governmental organization working with trafficked children, street children and children affected by HIV/AIDS. Program efforts are aimed at improving the children's standard of living and well-being by providing a safe, secure environment, educational opportunities, vocational training and placement within original, extended or new families. The agency works closely with affected communities to help them identify and support community-led efforts to generate income and provide emergency food supplies and psychosocial support services for these children.

The Spiritia Foundation was created in 1995 as a support group for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA). Moving beyond its initial objectives, Spiritia has conducted two national meetings for PLHA and has been a powerful leader in fighting for the rights of PLHA and their families. The foundation developed a set of Principles for AIDS Control that respect the rights and dignity of PLHA. This document, which ensures the full participation of PLHA in HIV/AIDS programming, has been adopted by the National AIDS Control Commission and Department of Health. Other critical initiatives include Positive Aftercare, a support structure for partners and parents of PLHA; the Positive Fund, which raises money to assist with care and support of PLHA; and assessments of the human rights conditions of PLHA.

FHI presented these NGOs with awards at a reception during the recent 14^th International AIDS Conference in Barcelona, Spain.