PSI Marks World AIDS Day Around the Globe

WASHINGTON, DC, December 2, 2005 — PSI and its affiliates around the world marked World AIDS Day with the theme "Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise."

Central America
PSI's Central American affiliate the Pan American Social Marketing Organization (PASMO) honored World AIDS Day by candlelight at a Memorial Park in Belize City, Belize. In Guatemala PASMO supported a Quilt Exhibition with prevention messages and mobile units. PASMO/Honduras joined efforts with the National AIDS Program, UNAIDS and other local non-governmental organizations in community health events and educational activities with high-prevalence populations. Educational activities, sound equipment, animation, and informational kiosks were provided by PASMO to support the World AIDS Day Marathon in Estelí and a Cultural Fair in the central park of León, in Nicaragua. PASMO/Panama participated in anti-stigma parades and memorial activities in Panama City.

Zimbabwe
The South African film, Yesterday, premiered at a movie theater in Harare sponsored by PSI/Zimbabwe. The film is a story of a young mother, Yesterday, who discovers she is HIV-positive and is left by her husband to fend for her herself. It revolves around the themes of knowing one's HIV status, living positively, and challenging stigma and discrimination. All proceeds from the sold-out screening went to the Mariele Children's Home, an orphanage located in the Ngezi district of Zimbabwe. Half of the children at this orphanage are HIV-positive.

World AIDS Day was also an opportunity to encourage voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) in Zimbabwe. New Start VCT centers provided free counseling and testing for two weeks prior to World AIDS Day, promoting knowledge of status among many population groups. PSI/Zimbabwe recorded a total over 17,000 VCT clients in November, the highest number of clients seen in any month during 2005.

Russia
The documentray film HIV: Myths and Reality was launched with a reception in Moscow. It aired nationally on Russian television channel NTV on December 2nd. PSI/Russia coordinated and funded production of the film within the framework of the Time to Live! series on Russian television.

For the past year, PSI and nine other international and local non-governmental organizations have been producing and airing Time to Live! throughout Russia. It is funded by PSI with support from the Global Fund. Time to Live! addresses several key issues around HIV and AIDS, including regional aspects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, lack of mass media involvement, and local administration policy in HIV/AIDS prevention. Episodes are targeted to regional audiences and discuss in tangible and concrete terms how HIV affects the audience's home region.

— Carlie Danielson, PSI/Washington

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The promotional poster for Yesterday