'I am HIV Positive' Awareness Campaign set to sweep the nation

Save Lanka Kids (SLK) plans to commemorate World AIDS Day this year. All fired up after the recent successful closure of R.E.A.C.H '08 (Rise for Equality, Act for Change and Hope), the firstever national youth conference on HIV and AIDS, Save Lanka Kids hopes to make December 1 a memorable day by launching the 'I am HIV Positive' awareness campaign in Sri Lanka.

The 'I am HIV Positive' campaign will be launched with the aim of encouraging the general public to have a more positive outlook on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, to be positive about creating awareness - raising awareness on the AIDS epidemic in their communities, positive about Education - educating each other about HIV/AIDS and positive about support - reaching out to people living with, and affected by HIV and AIDS.

Project Manager for Save Lanka Kids, Prabu Deepan commented, "Our campaign will target a total of about 2000 students from 50 schools all over Colombo. A team of 100 volunteers, two stationed at every school, where students will be able to collect informative material and clarify any queries they might have related to HIV and AIDS. In addition, the team will also on request conduct a comprehensive presentation and discussion on HIV and AIDS for the students."

T-shirts imprinted with the words 'I am HIV Positive' will be distributed to representatives from various organisations sharing similar goals, as well as to the volunteers. These t-shirts will help spread awareness by creating positive hype in workplaces, schools and around Colombo in general. The 'I am HIV Positive' march where participants and volunteers proudly displaying the slogan t-shirts will parade through the streets from Borella to Maradana, exhibiting themed flags and banners bearing positive messages on HIV and AIDS, will be yet another high point of the day.

A Red Page will be published in the December issues of magazines in honour of World AIDS Day, which will create awareness and generate curiosity amidst readers, which will in turn help expand their target audience by attracting a wider range of people to support the cause.

In addition 50 churches in and around Colombo will commemorate World AIDS Day on Sunday November 30, by showing a short video clip based on HIV and AIDS to their congregation, praying for people living with HIV (PLHIV) and observing two minutes of silence for lives lost to AIDS or simply by wearing red AIDS ribbons during the services for the day. The members of our cause on Facebook (www.causes.com\hivoutreach) will receive notifications on ways they can spread awareness among their friends, which includes making their status 'I am HIV Positive' from December 1st onwards, and by downloading an HIV and AIDS related image from www.behivpositive.com and making it their profile picture.

We hope to reach out to the 2,800 members of our cause and more through this campaign. There will also be a SPMS (Short Positive Messaging Service) circulated around and 'The Red Reel', which will be a slide with a message on HIV and AIDS that will be played in theatres around Colombo, both, on December 1.

In this manner, the organisation will be able to reach out to as many people as possible, all in one day.

Save Lanka Kids is very enthusiastic about this project and request the youth of Sri Lanka to participate and announce to the world that they are indeed 'HIV Positive'!