A THIN LINE
ACTION FOR AIDS ANNUAL REPORT 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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REFLECTIONS
INTRODUCTIONS
PRESIDENT’S & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
ABOUT ACTION FOR AIDS ORGANISATION STRUCTURE
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AMPLIFICATIONS
HEARTS OF GOLD
CAMPAIGNS, EVENTS, FUND RAISING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENTS
EDUCATION & PREVENTION
CLINICAL SERVICES
OUTREACH PROGRAMMES
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HIGH RISK HETEROSEXUAL MALES MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN
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HIV EDUCATION IN THE WORKPLACE PRISON OUTREACH
MOBILE TESTING & COUNSELLING SERVICE
CARE & SUPPORT
TRANSGENDER PROGRAMME AMPUH - ANAK MALAYU ISLAM MELAWAN PENYAKIT UNIK HIV/AIDS
ANONYMOUS HIV TESTING & COUNSELLING SERVICE
37 38 40 41
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FINANCIAL POSITIVE LIVING CENTRE PROJECT HOPE BUDDIES PROGRAMME
3 Concept of cover: A thin line seperates a HIV negative and HIV positive test result and we stand on that thin line reaching out to both communities. It also forms the red ribbon symbol which is the universal symbol of awareness and support for those living with HIV.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
2011 was a seminal year for HIV/AIDS in several ways. First of all there were more infections diagnosed among MSM than heterosexuals for the first time in over 20 years (236 vs. 213). This changing pattern was something that many of us working in the field were expecting to happen but were hoping would not, or at least we were hoping that it would happen later rather than sooner. We predicted this would happen from the consistently high rates of HIV infection among MSM diagnosed at the ATS as well as the outreach Community Testing Projects that we have been conducting for a number of years. We predicted this from the high rate of new STIs diagnosed among MSM in
DSC clinic that indicates unsafe sex is still commonplace. We predicted this from what we see on the internet and mobile communications apps, and from observations and interviews informing us that sexual liaisons or “hook-ups” are getting increasingly easy, rampant and unsafe. It is very worrying that an increasing number of younger MSMs are becoming HIV infected. In 2011, there were 76 MSM diagnosed below the age of 30 years compared with 54 in 2010. We have noted this trend in the past few years, and it underlines the apparent lack of effect that prevention programmes are having on younger MSM, and indeed on MSM of all ages. Several factors are thought to
“It is very worrying that an increasing number of younger MSMs are becoming HIV infected...” 4
be contributing to the expanding HIV epidemic among MSM that is reported not only here in Singapore but also around the world. These include changing sexual mores, low condom use rates arising from safer sex fatigue and treatment optimism, HIV-related stigma that leads to low levels of testing and low levels of disclosure, use of recreational drugs in combination with sex, use of the internet for sexual liaisons, growth of sex-on-premises venues, rapidly changing sex work landscape, regional sex travel, and group sex parties. The high infection rates are unlikely to change soon because existing HIV-prevention strategies are only partially effective and have not been applied as thoroughly as they could be, because a preventive vaccine remains elusive, and because current therapies cannot cure HIV infection.
swirling around. 2011 was also a seminal year from the point of view of Treatment as Prevention (TasP) (see editorial the ACT #43 http://afa.org.sg/act.php). These approaches may hold a solution to reduce the spread of HIV; they will be costly and will require significant changes to policy and pose major challenges logistically. We will no doubt be hearing a lot more about this in the coming years. I would like to thank members of the Executive Committee who have put in a great deal of time and energy to ensure that we remain focussed and on track to deliver on our objectives.
We have our work cut out for us.
I would like to thank the staff, our ED Donovan, Avin, Terry, Norani, Anwar, Jesse, Julie, Phil, TP, Joe, Edwin, Sauji, who have put their noses to the grindstone and stuck together to fulfil our KPIs and deliverables, and to come up with new ideas to meet new challenges.
In the coming year, we hope to complete reviews of our programmes and to come up with some new ideas to control the storm that is
I would like to thank our wonderful volunteers and supporters, without who we would never have been able to do one tenth of the work.
Professor Roy Chan Last but certainly not least we need to thank our sponsors, funders and donors who continue to believe in us and have the desire to increase our output and build our capabilities.
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Photos by: Moments Photography
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Here at Action for AIDS, we work year round towards the goal of increasing HIV awareness and reducing stigma and discrimination, minimising new infections and lowering the number of AIDS-related deaths. It has been a tiring year for the team but lots has been achieved. The number of people we reach out to has increased tremendously. We launched the first anti-stigma and discrimination campaign, “Be Positive”, in Singapore, and have seen positive results from public response on our Facebook page. We also launched “The Love Karaoke” campaign and its video by Royston Tan has gone viral, amassing over 100,000 hits online. We managed to bag 2 gold EFFIE Awards for these creative and effective campaigns. Our Minister of State (Health), Dr Amy Khor, has shown her support by raising the issues of HIV/AIDS to the public on several occasions. Many artistes (Xiang Yun, Adrain Pang, AB Shaik, Royston Tan, Raymond Chen, Chen TianWen, Ye ShiPin, to name a few) have also lent their support to our cause.
The media has also been helpful in creating awareness with their factual reports and articles. But there’s still a long way to go before achieving the objective of “Getting to Zero”. We still face difficulties in convincing most of the schools and companies about the importance of educating their students and employees. There still exist laws that hinder our work of reducing stigma and increasing condom use. There is still advocacy to be done. Our work at AfA is never done. In the coming years and months, we face many more challenging tasks, from reducing the increasing HIV rates among young MSMs to raising sufficient funds to continue our prevention work, and all the while providing care and support to People Living with HIV. However, with our dedicated and passionate team of staff and volunteers, I believe we will overcome all odds and achieve visible results in the arena of HIV work. One of my main roles in the coming year is to be the enabler for the AfA team to perform well, and to empower
Donovan Lo passionate staff and equip them with the skills and knowledge to overcome the challenges in the road ahead, so they can achieve greater effectiveness and efficiency in the programmes and services that they run. I would like to thank the staff and volunteers for their continual hard work and contributions. On behalf of the team, I would also like to thank the members of the Executive Committee, members, funding agencies, sponsors and donors, supporters and volunteers, for all the support they have given in this challenging year. I would like to appeal for their continual support for the cause and to improve the HIV/AIDS situation in Singapore.
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INTRODUCTIONS
MISSION STATEMENT Action for AIDS (AFA) is a caring NGO committed to AIDS prevention, advocacy and support. Our mission is to prevent transmission of HIV/AIDS through continuous education targeted at vulnerable groups; to advocate for access to affordable care and against HIV/AIDS discrimination; and to provide support for People Living with AIDS (PWAs), caregivers and volunteers.
Attaining the Mission
About Us
Coordinate efforts in minimising discrimination in issues relating to AIDS/HIV infection.
Formed in 1988, the organisation is run for the most part by volunteers. Various support and welfare programmes are run for people living with HIV/AIDS and their loved ones.
Liaise with other agencies of similar orientation in the exchange of information and knowledge with regards to AIDS/HIV infection. Raise and disperse funds to carry out the objectives of the society. Receive and hold donated properties and assets. Set up and manage an endowment fund. Undertake any other activities as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objectives.
Our educational activities range from: - Telephone counselling, - Public talks, - Exhibitions, - Outreach to the community & target groups, - Development & distribution of educational materials and publications. We were also the first to operate a HIV-testing facility in the Singapore. In the research field we have been involved in various behavioral research and intervention programmes for human resource managers, sex workers and other communities. Action for AIDS, Singapore is funded through donations from various agencies, private individuals, foundations, and businesses both large and small.
11 Photos by: Moments Photography
ORGANISATION STRUCTURE 2011 Executive Commitee Board of Trustees Executive Director Donovan Lo Senior Executive Avin Tan
Campaigns & Events
Prevention & Education
Care & Support
Administration & Finance
Anonymous Test Site
Positive Living Centre
Manager Patrick Chim
Manager Julie Matthews
Manager Norani Othman
Executive Tan Teng Pok
Clinical Services
HMO Programme Manager Terry Lim Coordinator Edwin Lim
Coordinator Roger Soh
MSM Programme Senior Coordinator Joe Wong Coordinator Thomas Ang
Coordinator
TG Programme
Coordinator Jesse Koh
Malay Programme
Manager Anwar Hashim
HIV Education in the Workplace
Coordinator Jesse Koh
Prison Outreach
Manager Norani Othman
Mobile Testing Service
Medical Social Worker
Manager Anwar Hashim
Coordinator Khairul Ariffin
Coordinator Sauji Saad
Volunteer Coordinator
Coordinator Joe Wong
Volunteer Coordinators
Volunteer
BOARD OF TRUSTEE Mr. Nicholas Chan Mr. Goh Eck Meng Ms. Jacqueline Khoo Mr. Howie Leong Ms. Elen Fu
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
SUB-COMMITTEE
President: Professor Roy Chan
Fund Raising & Public Relations Professor Roy Chan Ms. Caroline Fernandez Mr. Saxone Woon
Vice President: Dr. Lee Cheng Chuan Acting Honorary Treasurer: Ms. Caroline Fernandez Honorary Secretary: Ms. Dawn Mok Assistant Honorary Secretary: Mr. Thomas Ng Hoe Lun
Human Resources Dr. Lee Cheng Chuan Ms. Dawn Mok Programmes Mr. Thomas Ng Hoe Lu Associate Professor Paul Anath Tambyah Finance & Audit Mr. John Woo
Committee Members: Mr John Woo Mr Saxone Woon Associate Professor Paul Anath Tambyah
AUDITORS Geetha A & Associates
ACTION FOR AIDS, SINGAPORE 35 Kelantan Lane #02-01 Singapore 208 652 Society Registration No. ROS 257/88 WEL MOH Charity No. 1050 Health Endowment Fund Membership No. HEF0006/ G
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CAMPAIGNS & EVENTS
AMPLIFICATIONS These are simple things - to be able to share a dinner with friends or family, or have close friends around when in need. However, many people living with HIV live daily, denied of these simple pleasures. Stigma and discrimination is a huge barrier in Singapore and it prevents people from seeking for knowledge to protect themselves, to come forward to take a test and to start treatment that will prolong life and improve well-being. Working together with our partners, we launched various campaigns that strive towards a supportive and understanding society.
Photos by: Moments Photography
THE LOVE KARAOKE BY TERRY LIM
Condom use is a critical element in a comprehensive, effective and sustainable approach to HIV prevention. The objective of this campaign is to close the gap between knowledge and behavior and build a safer sex culture through normalising condoms and initiating conversation regarding their use.
effie awards
WINNER OF THE GOLD EFFIE AWARDS For its creativity & effectiveness.
76,000
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Action for AIDS has been reaching out to heterosexual men who visit the red light district and other adult/night entertainment outlets, in order to increase HIV awareness and promote condom use. This year, we launched a sexy campaign targeting the audience at these venues. We roped in Singapore’s famed director, Royston Tan, to produce a ‘sexy’ music video. The video featured Getai singers in sexy outfits singing a Hokkien song in a karaoke lounge. DVDs and other promotional materials were distributed in the red light district and the adult/ night entertainment outlets.
A total of 61 night coffee shops were also visited as part of the outreach.We also held 2 Getai around Geylang, 8 coffee shop road shows and 5 club shows during the campaign which was held between December 2011 and March 2012. This effort to promote condom use has managed to reach out to over 76,000 men. The music video produced by Royston went viral with over 100,000 hits and secured much coverage by the press. The campaign also won a Gold accolade in the EFFIE Awards Singapore 2012 for its creativity and effectiveness.
BLUE COLLAR WORKERS Were reached during the 3 month campaign
2. 1 | Action for AIDS’s HMO programme ambassador Ye Shi Pin, interacting with the patrons, on the importance of testing. 2 | Terry and the amazing crew receiving the award on stage.
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BE POSITIVE ABOUT PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV BY AVIN TAN
AIDS-related stigma and discrimination refers to prejudice, negative attitudes, abuse and mistreatment directed towards people living with HIV and AIDS. Unfortunately there is an enormous population who remain ignorant about HIV/AIDS due to a lack of education, this together with the huge amount of inaccurate information about the virus helps to fuel such stigma and discrimination. Discrimination can affect many aspects of everyday life which we take for granted. The right to travel, access to health-care facilities or seeking employment are areas in which stigma and discrimination are rife. These negative attitudes also hinder HIV prevention programmes, regular HIV testing and access to treatment. ‘Let's be positive about the people living with HIV’ campaign was launched on World AIDS Day 1st December 2011, with the objective of reducing stigma and discrimination by increasing the acceptance of persons living with HIV (PLHIV).
We saw many of our corporate and community partners come together for this campaign to show their support and be a voice for people living with HIV/AIDS. Popular local celebrities such as Xiang Yun, Adrian Pang, together with community opinion leaders A.B Shaik and Royston Tan joined in to champion the cause. It was a significant milestone in our short history, “Be Positive” was the first anti-stigma campaign that Singapore has witnessed and we are proud to have been a part of it. Why People Living with HIV Need our Support HIV is no longer a death sentence yet it is still treated with much fear, a fear born out of ignorance.
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We have collected much anecdotal evidence to indicate that there are still far too many people who still subscribe to those myths and stories surrounding HIV/AIDS. This mentality and lack of awareness encourages people to avoid HIV testing, and they may also choose to reject timely treatment. The social judgment of HIV positive people means many of them will face HIV/AIDS alone, denied of much needed support. What Be Positive Achieved With the help of our partners, we marked World AIDS Day by wearing a red ribbon, getting people to use Facebook or by picking up and wearing a badge (both virtually and physically) to
18,364 FACEBOOK LIKES Amount of support for People Living with HIV
1.4MIL VIEWED THE CAMPAIGN FUND RAISING, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & CAMPAIGNS
show that they care. Members of the public were also able to watch videos produced by Royston Tan, featuring many prominent local artistes, these were available on YouTube, TV and in train stations.
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Figures
WINNER OF THE GOLD EFFIE AWARDS Which evaluates the effectiveness of campaigns
1. 7 million vie wed o u r T V commercials online.
effie awards
Approx im ately 1 .4 mi ll io n individuals aged 25 – 54 were reached through television.
We rallied an amazing community of 16,800 fans on our “Be Positive” Facebook Page during the campaign period. During our po st-cam pai g n evaluation involving a total of 600 individuals, 90% of those shared with us that the campaign had changed their perception of people living with HIV to a more positive one. These may be simple actions that will not change reality, yet they can potentially make a huge difference to the lives of over 3000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Singapore, also to their affected loved ones, family and friends.
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The results of the campaign were also affirmed due to winning the Gold accolade in the EFFIE Awards Singapore 2012, a institute which evaluates the effectiveness of campaigns. 1 | Web poster showcasing the four ambassadors of the Let’s Be Positive campaign. 2 | Guest of Honor, Minister of State (Health) Dr. Amy Khor at the launch of the Let’s Be Positive campaign. 1 Dec 2011. 3 | Launch event at Kinky restaurant. 1 Dec 2011.
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FUND RAISING - LE FLEA BOUTIQUE BY TALYA STONE
As the organisation gains more traction and with the help of some media attention, we find ourselves being approached by more businesses, schools and members of the publics. Donations and fund raising events such as Le Flea Boutique help the organisation fund life saving anti HIV medications and to help in our prevention efforts. Transforming Pre-loved Goods The past year has seen two outings of Le Flea Boutique, a concept conceived by Talya Stone and Zoe Kotey based on the idea that one man's trash is another's treasure. Featuring pre-loved designer labels and high street wear donated from personal closets, plus brand new out-of-the-stockroom collections from Singapore's brands and boutiques, the duo successfully transformed their acquisitions into significant funds for Action for AIDS Singapore. Raising close to $11,000 through this year's combined efforts, the inaugural event kicked off the ongoing initiative in June, with a second one following hot on the heels of its success to tie in to World AIDS Day in December. Having fast outgrown their initial venue sponsor - Speakeasy - the event blazed a trail to The Talent Cafe. 1.
Loyal individual supporters donated luxe labels like Armani, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg, D&G, Fendi, Helmut Lang, Kate Spade, Marc Jacobs, Max Mara, Ralph Lauren and Stella McCartney as well as high street picks, while the duo rallied local brands and labels to support the initiative which in 2011 included Epitome, Saturday, Nicholas, Front Row, Know It Nothing, Le Specs, Threadbare & Squirrel and Hadasity.
$11,000 RAISED Through two outings of Le Flea Boutique
100% of proceeds from the sale and entry donation, and 10% of proceeds from food and drink sold on the day went towards our cause. Le Flea Boutique is now a regular fixture in our fundraising calendar, and the duo behind it along with their team of volunteers are setting their sights higher - so watch this space as Le Flea Boutique continues to grow with its success.
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1 | Promo shots for Le Flea Boutique 2 | Transformation of pre-loved goods to life saving funds 3 | Fund raiser Tayla Stones (Left) & Zoe Kotey.
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ARTS AGAINST AIDS 2011 BY PRASHANT SOMOSUNDRAM
Art Against AIDS is a biennial art project that promotes creative expression to raise community awareness and participation in HIV/AIDS education and prevention. Since it began in 1996, the project has helped to enlighten many in the community on the way we all think about this chronic disease and those affected by it. In 2009, the project evolved from a competition format to one where individuals living with and affected by HIV/AIDS shared their personal stories through photography. The project culminated in an exhibition at the Vivocity Mall in Dec 2009, reaching out to individuals and families from all walks of life. In 2011, the project returned to the competition format and involved students and recent graduates from tertiary institutions in Singapore who were tasked to conceptualise, develop and execute a 3-5 minute short film relating to HIV/AIDS in Singapore. The project saw 10 teams participating, with 4 films finally submitted. 2 films, from Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), were shortlisted by a jury comprising people living with HIV/AIDS, professional filmmakers and activists for screening alongside the premiere of Royston Tan's '48' on 15 January 2011. The screening was attended by 134 people. The jury selected HCI's “It's Okay” as the overall winner due to its endearing and
quirky approach in addressing stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS. The winning team walked away with $3000.
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Y-AIDS
SUBMISSIONS By youths to promote HIV/AIDS awareness & prevention messages
In addition to the film project, AfA also launched Y-AIDS in 2011. It was a poster competition to engage youth in conceptualising and designing posters and related collaterals to promote HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention messages and issues of stigma and discrimination for PWAs. Youth were encouraged to think critically of HIV/AIDS issues, to explore themes of prevention and stigma and discrimination relating to HIV/AIDS in Singapore and express them creatively in a poster design format. We reached out to more than 200 schools and creative agencies and received more than 30 submissions. Shortlisted entries were showcased on the AfA website, leveraging on social media for public online voting. After more than 1,200 online votes, the committee decided to award the most popular poster, “AIDS Kills, So Does HIV” in view of favoring public awareness.
1. 1 | Promotional poster for Arts Against AIDS 2011
A special jury prize was also awarded to the poster “If Lady Gaga wears Latex, so can you”, based on creativity and design aesthetics. Selected designs will be incorporated into AfA's collaterals to spread key messages of prevention and stigma and discrimination.
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CANDLELIGHT MEMORIAL 2011 BY PHIL LOH
The AIDS Candlelight Memorial is one of the world’s oldest and largest grassroots mobilisation campaigns for HIV awareness in the world. Started in 1983, the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial takes place every third Sunday in May and is led by a coalition of some 1,200 community organisations in 115 countries. With the advancement of HIV management and treatment over the last decade, its purpose has changed. Today, the memorial serves as an important event to remind people that HIV is still a serious issue and the fight against HIV/AIDS must continue. TOUCHING LIVES On 15th May 2011, Singapore joined the global action to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS with an AIDS Candlelight Memorial in remembrance of the lives lost to HIV / AIDS and to raise public awareness about the disease. Aptly themed “Touching Lives,” the Candlelight Memorial in Singapore was one in 115 countries hosting similar events, bringing together volunteers, family, friends, caregivers and those affected by HIV/AIDS in an act of solidarity and support. The memorial was being held in the evening at the Sky Terrace @ Scape and attended by more than 300 people. The AIDS Candlelight Memorial has been organised in Singapore for 20 years since it first started in 1991. A focus of the 2011’s memorial is the message of AIDS-related stigma and discrimination and its
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impact on the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS. The event is a remembrance marked by real stories of struggle, social vulnerability and loss, as a result of stigma and prejudice. With 34 million people globally living with HIV today, the Candlelight continues to serve as an important reminder of this life-changing disease for those affected by it and how HIV has touched the lives of so many of us. The AIDS Candlelight Memorial, coordinated by the Global Network of People living with HIV is one of the oldest and largest g r ass roots mobilis a tion cam p aig ns f or HIV/AIDS awareness in the world. The Singapore AIDS Candlelight Memorial 2011 was a joint effort organised by Action for AIDS, Tan Tock Seng Hospital and National University Hospital, and with Singapore General Hospital as participating institution.
20th SINGAPORE CANDLELIGHT MEMORIAL
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1 | Remembering those who have passed on while giving those living with HIV/AIDS renewed hope to live on. 2 | President of Action for AIDS, Professor Roy Chan recounting the efforts and work that the organisation has done at the opening ceremony.
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3 | A lone bag piper of the Woman Police Pipes and Drums pierced the silent night marking the start oft he memorial.
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4 | Pipa player serenaded the crowd. 5 | The Singapore Men’s Choir performing their rendition of “Seasons of Love”. 6 | Attendees gathering to light their candles. A first for many attending the service.
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Jimmy Photography holds the rights to these photos. No parts may be replicated at any time without seeking prior permission in writing.
19 Photos by: Moments Photography
VOLUNTEERS
HEARTS OF GOLD Action for AIDS will not be what it is today without the support of our many volunteers. There are many reasons why people volunteer, but one similar trait every volunteer has something in common, is the willingness to contribute their time, energy and never once, asking for anything in return. All our programmes continue to appreciate the help that an individual can render no matter how trival the contribution may seem; because at the end of the day, one extra person reached could very well translate to one extra life free of HIV.
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STEPPING FORWARD BY JULIE MATTHEWS
Volunteers are one of the most important resources for our organisation. They come from all walks of life and are of diverse nationalities. They give their time, energy and talent to others, expecting nothing in return. Action for AIDS, volunteers are the heart and soul of our organisation and without their hard work, nothing we do would be possible.
76,000 BLUE COLLAR WORKERS Were reached during the 3 month campaign
1 | Senior counselor David Hester demonstrating the correct way to wear a condom.
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2 | Glorious and heart warming food during the Chinese New Year celebration.
Volunteering
Training
Appreciation
The Anoymous Test Site (ATS) presented 4 of our most active and committed volunteers with an Outstanding Volunteer Certificate at the Annual General Meeting in May 2011 to recognise their efforts and active participation at ATS.
The Anonymous Test Site’s (ATS) senior counsellors play an important role in the training of our new volunteers.
Activities such as the Chinese New Year Celebrations cum Volunteer Gathering, BBQ at East Coast Park, a 2-day trip to Batam and other activities were organised in 2011 for the volunteers.
The recipients were Hetty Vosselman, Vincent Tan, Bryan Loh and David Hester.
They help conduct our now quarterly training workshops, also playing an active role in updating the programme and its materials. Our Senior Counsellors were also heavily involved in the mentoring of our new volunteers, especially during the time that they do their on-the-job training. At total of 3 workshops were conducted for over 30 new volunteers in 2011.
The response by those who attended was good and all volunteers enjoyed a chance to catch up, exchange news and renew ties during these activities.
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EDUCATION & PREVENTION PROGRAMMES
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DIVERSE & PROGRESSIVE Public education and outreach programmes form an important pillar of our mission. The programmes are designed to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS through publications and our website, and we also conduct outreach activities to communities at risk. Strengthened by the support venue owners and volunteers, our coordinatoors are constantly pushing boundaries and coming up with new and innovative ways to communicate, to remind and to change behaviors.
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HIGH RISK HETEROSEXUAL MALES OUTREACH (HMO) PROGRAMME BY TERRY LIM
The HMO Programme reaches out to heterosexual males who engage in high risk sexual practices in order to increase their HIV knowledge. This will allow for better self-risk assessment, increased condom use and encourage more voluntary testing. This is done by conducting edutainment shows, regular condom and collateral distribution to our target audience at venues they frequent. 2011 has been a busy and exciting year for the HMO programme, due to the expansion of existing programmes, such as the club and pub outreach, an increase in the number of getai shows and also the “Safe Sex Show” (SSS). Apart from these existing programmes, the HMO programme has managed to resume the ferry terminal outreach. A campaign to promote condom use was also launched in conjunction with World AIDS Day. Safe Sex Shows (SSS) & Getais We have more than doubled the number of entertainment outlets that we reach out to, hitting a total of 150, up from last year’s total of 70. At the same time, we had the opportunity to organise a total of 17 SSS in clubs, again far surpassing last year’s total of 2. This show’s success can be attributed to the good relationships that we have built with the club owners during the course of our outreach efforts. A total of 370 surveys on condom use were done. These surveys also helped us to obtain feedback to improve our future shows. Eight getais were held in 2011, allowing us to reach out to a total audience of 5,000. These shows proved to be a good channel to reach out to the Mandarin speaking masses. This was further enhanced by the
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star power of MediaCorp artistes who were engaged to host the shows. The shows’ main objectives were to debunk common myths surrounding HIV, and also to create awareness of the methods of prevention and treatment. Ferry Terminal Outreach The ferry terminal outreach at the Habourfront Ferry Terminal was resumed. “Safe sex travel kit” were distributed to men who were travelling to neighbouring Riau islands, such as Batam and Bintan. This effort has been very well received as 2,500 kits have been distributed over the last three months. 1.
93,000 VIEWS ON YOUTUBE 宝贝姐妹 MTV about condom use went viral
2x AS MANY VENUES HMO club outreach reached twice as many venues in 2011
Campaign to Promote Condom Use
Other Activities The HMO programme also had the opportunity to go on-air with Capital 95.8 FM as part of a ‘live’ discussion on HIV awareness, testing and treatment. Two more sessions of the talkshows were held at Clementi and Ang Mo Kio Community Clubs with live audience participation.
The “双女星” campaign was kicked off last December 2011 to reach out to audiences in the Geylang and Joo Chiat coffee shops. This campaign encompassed the distribution of DVDs, condoms and collaterals, including some 50 outreach campaigns to the coffee shops at night, 2 getais, 5 shows in clubs and 7 shows in the coffee shops.
These 2 activites also led to 30 voluntary tests being conducte by the MTS. Other highlights of the year included the World AIDS Day Concert and the production of 3,000 calendars that were distributed to all our outreach outlets.
With this concerted effort, we managed to reach out to a target audience of about 80,000. One highlight of this campaign was the online music video produced by Royston Tan, featuring the 宝贝姐妹, which went viral, with a total of 93,000 views during the period of the campaign.
1 | Sexy dancers and exciting club patrons fully immersed in the Safe Sex Show 2 | Action for AIDS’s HMO programme ambassador Ye Shi Pin, led the fully packed crowd at a Getai show; promoting safer sex messages to blue collar workers.
This campaign was also the impetus needed for 40 men to come forward for voluntary testing at our Mobile Testing Service (MTS) after 2 of the coffee shop shows.
3 | Artistes at the World AIDS Day concert. 4 | Enthusiastic crowd at the club Safe Sex Show responding to a quiz on condom usage. 5 | Our dedicated volunteers are key to successful outreach programmes.
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MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN (MSM) OUTREACH PROGRAMME BY AVIN TAN
Using tailored approaches to suit the diverse needs of the audiences, the MSM programme conducts outreach at both real and virtual MSM venues. we worked towards growing the capacity of stakeholders and community partners to help conduct innovative campaigns, events and workshops. The programme also serves as a constant reminder to the community that HIV/AIDS continues to be a real issue within the MSM community. Latest figures from the Ministry of Health (MOH) show that 247 MSM/bisexuals were diagnosed with HIV in 2011, and it is estimated that there are about 100,000 gay men in Singapore; this equates to 1 MSM being infected every 43 hours. In a bid to get the community to be more involved with HIV awareness, community partners were roped in to plan the events. They brought to the table creative ideas and fresh perspectives. Through this process we were able to educate both our partners and their patrons in ways we never thought possible. Venue Based Outreach
Syphilis Campaign
Venue based outreach continues to be an important pillar in the MSM programme, allowing us to interact directly with the community. A total of 14 events were staged with the help of community partners, reaching 8000 people in total.
Syphilis can increase the risk of HIV transmission and there has been no known standalone Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) campaigns conducted in the last 5 years.
To sustain interaction, we continued to distribute condom packs and educational materials on event-free days. A roving team was also introduced this year. This way, the programme is no longer stationed at just one venue. The team covered a pre-planned route that comprised several locations. Over 7000 free condom packs were distributed. over 12 of such outreaches.
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The main aim of the “Spot on Spot off� campaign is increased awareness and getting MSMs to come forward to test. During the campaign period, 3000 people were reached through 4 shows and a total of 60 people took up the test, which represents a 2% return rate. 1.
8000 REACHED In 14 club outreach sessions
247 MSM/BISEXUALS Were diagnosed with HIV last year
Venue Based HIV Testing
Online outreach
Sero-prevalence project is now in its 5th year. With the help of our project IC, Bryan – a longstanding AfA volunteer – the part research, part outreach project gathered over 1,300 samples. 27 people tested positive, which translated to an incidence rate of 2.06%, a drop from 2.75% in 2010.
Working with online portals and forums, the outreach continues to engage a diverse group, including many gay men who do not frequent the clubs or bathhouses.
The annual Sero prevalence project, along with the HIV Testing Day in June, has increased access to testing for the MSM community. Commercial Male Sex Workers There were no known programmes that reached out to Male Sex Workers (MSW) in Singapore, before this started as a pilot programme in 2009. It has grown each year, with a lasting relationship forged between the coordinator and the MSWs. This programme allowed us to gain a better understanding of the population and we were able to reach out to some 150 MSWs at any one time. The programme started with Chinese MSWs and now it has expanded to include MSWs from other regions such as Thailand, Myanmar and India. Many of these MSWs hail from less developed areas and are relatively naive towards sex, sexuality, STIs and the laws of our country.
Livelife.org.sg delivers messages from our community partners to volunteers and friends of AfA. It has gone through a makeover and has built up a pool of 3,000 active readers. The IRC and forum outreach continued to answer enquires regarding HIV/AIDS testing, treatment and support services that the public are able to access. The programme reached an average of some 300 people per session.
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Young MSMs We provide a safe space for same-sex attracted young people to gather with others who are like-minded. Improving their attitudes towards better sexual health and engaging in less risky behaviors are some of the functions of our programme. We have conducted 4 workshops, including teaching dance and photography skills, with prominent community leaders and experts coming together to share their knowledge and help to improve self-esteem and confidence in our young MSMs.
1 | Frolic and Play - An educational yet kinky campaign targetted at saunas and bath houses 2 | Photo booth for Spot On Spot Off syphilis campaign 3 | Wearing a condom while blind folded simulating wearing condoms in a dark room 4 | Be Positive World AIDS Day ambassador Mistevious & NoriSTAR working the crowd at Play.
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Besides free condoms and HIV testing, the programmes also provides material that are specially designed for MSWs. Collaterals also include a list of organisations in this region, so they have resource references no matter where they are travelling to next.
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TRANSGENDER (TG) OUTREACH PROGRAMME BY JESSE KOH & JOE WONG
TG Programme provides this under-served community in Singapore with crucial health care information. We also aim to build confidence and improve their self-esteem so that they are empowered to take charge of their sexual health and make healthy lifestyle choices, by providing educational talks and life skills self-empowerment workshops. Educational Talks & Workshops
Transgender Sex Worker Outreach
The transgender programme started in 2010 and has since been making good progress with HIV/AIDS education within the transgender community. We have provided a variety of talks and events, such as hormone therapy talks, confidence building workshops, social skills development workshops and various social gatherings.
With our team of dedicated volunteers, we managed not only to reach out to local but also foreign transgender sex workers in Singapore, with the distribution of condoms, lubricants and collaterals through our regular outreach programme.
The workshops also include a HIV educational component to increase HIV awareness and knowledge. A total of 5 talks were conducted in 2011, reaching out to 78 transgender individuals. The First ‘Tru-Me’ Online Pageant With the objective of reducing stigma and discrimination as well as increasing acceptance of transgender individuals by the general public, the first ‘Tru-Me’ online pageant was well received by the transgender community with a total of 19 participants from various professional fields. It was encouraging for the participants to receive a total of 1701 votes from the public.
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19 TRU-ME PAGENT PARTICIPANTS First transgender online pagent
We also engaged them through HIV/AIDS talks and provided them with free coupons to normalise HIV testing. New FTM Initiatives We have launched a new pilot project to reach out to the FTM individuals in 2011. This new social gathering initiative has been well received and the number of FTMs who attended the social gatherings increased from 3 to 30 by the end of the year.
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The active engagement of the transgender community has yielded buy-in from the target population. With their trust and support, we aim to bring the programme to new heights. 1 | Tru-me 2011 group photo. 2 | Guest speaker, Dr. Peter Eng at a hormone replacement therapy talk.
ANAK MELAYU/ISLAM MELAWAN PENYAKIT UNIT HIV (AMPUH) BY ANWAR HASHIM
The AMPUH programme aims to tackle the rising numbers of Malay/Muslims who are infected with HIV or are suffering from AIDS. The programme strives to raise awareness of HIV prevention within this community and encourages active community participation through collaboration on the ground with community based organisations. TigaPs : Pemahaman, Penghalangan, Prejudis For this year, we embraced the principals of TigaP: Pemahaman, Penghalangan, Prejudis – meaning, Understanding, Prevention and Prejudice. Two events were held, one at Yew Tee CC and the other at Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green Community Centre. Over a 3-day period, we were able to attract some 1800 people who were both entertained and educated through our various events and promotions. We also conducted 2 workshops for 7 youth group workers who work with at-risk youth. A total of 25 young people attended our 2 sexual health talks. 2011 was indeed a challenging year for us and various stakeholders to attract members of the community to attend our outreach events. We learnt over time that we need to inject creative ideas to innovate and attract greater attendance so that the Malay/Muslim community will be able to get the most out of our outreach efforts.
Survey results Last year at our outreach event, 452 people responded to our onsite survey.
3Ps
The following is interesting data from respondents (aged 18 to 29 years old):
TigaPs Campaign Promoting understanding, prevention & anti-prejudice amoungst the Malay community
- 31% are aware that you can prevent HIV infection if you are faithful to one uninfected partner. - 14% are aware that abstinence is the best protection against HIV Infection. - 75% are aware that you can’t get infected by sharing food with PLHIV. - 54% are aware that PLHIV can look healthy and normal - 78% are willing to share food with PLHIV. AMPUHs’ continual efforts to spread HIV awareness and preventative education will increase in 2012. In order to better serve the Malay/Muslim community, we have developed new promotional and educational materials with the TigaP theme.
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1 | HIV themed drawing competition, open category. AMPUH @ Picnic in the City. 17 & 18 Dec 2011. 2 | Kebayarobics participants posing for a group photo. 3 | Traditional Malay dance - Zapin - AMPUH @ Yew Tee Community Club. 2 Oct 2011
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HIV EDUCATION IN THE WORKPLACE (HEW) BY JESSE KOH
Forming part of our education strategy, the HEW programme collaborates with socially responsible companies and organisations in order to provide educational talks by healthcare professionals and trained educators for their employees. This project aims to increase HIV awareness and knowledge in the workplace, and reduce the stigma and discrimination faced by PLHIV. Educational Talks & Workshops Education forms a very important part of our strategy to prevent the spread of HIV. In 2011, q total of 63 HIV educational talks was conducted at various venues, including factories, offices, government agencies and other service industry locations. These talks covers basic information about HIV/AIDS, modes of transmissions, stigma and discrimination issues and the importance of early testing. It has been heartening to observe companies supporting our cause engage our educators on a regular basis.
Number of People Reach 101 159
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4463
453 1455
ATTENDEES reached through 63 workshop sessions
Legend Private Schools/Organisations Halfway Houses Prison Inmates and Officers
Corporate Hotel Groups
The Speakers
Our educators have also visited other NGOs and private schools to provide pro-bono talks. There are plans to expand the project by recruiting and training more educators or advocates, allowing us to reach out to more local small and medium enterprises.
Susan Solomon
Paul Toh
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Peter Connell
Geoffrey Goh
Ho Lai Peng
Balaji Ragothaman
Chiam Ailing
Phil Loh
Anwar Hashim
David Hester
June Chua
PRISON OUTREACH PROGRAMME BY NORANI OTHMAN
The Prison Outreach Programme educates prison staff and inmates on HIV and provides support to HIV+ inmates. HIV talks are conducted periodically help prison staff better manage wellbeing of the inmates. The talks also aim to reduce the stigma and discrimination against HIV+ inmates. Education and psychosocial counselling support are provided to inmates to inculcate positive attitude and equip them with knowledge to allow them to adopt a positive lifestyle. The programme also assists inmates who are on the home tagging programme with medication to ensure continual access to treatment.
Education Talks 37 talks have been conducted in the prison, reaching out to some 1455 staff and inmates and providing crucial information about HIV/AIDS. Support
$28,758 AMOUNT NEEDED To sustain the programme
68 INMATES BENEFIT from this programme in 2011
Counselling sessions are held on a monthly basis to all the prison clusters. The programme supported 60 male inmates and 8 female inmates in 2011. Medication Action for AIDS has continued the support of the prison programme with a contribution of $28,758 worth of medication. We are in the process of collaborating with the prison to extend our programme services.
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CLINICAL SERVICES INNOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS Accessible and affordable HIV testing plays an integeral role in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The rate of new infections has been steadily increasing over the last decade, and over half of these new notifications presented with late stage symptoms. These two worrying trends prompted us to come up with new ways to tackle the problem. To better serve the community and increase access, the anonymous HIV testing clinic continued to improve on its services through better training and volunteer welfare, and a mobile clinic was rolled out in December. Continued innovations and improvements are part of our commitment to deliver high quality, anonymous HIV testing and counselling services in Singapore.
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ANONYMOUS HIV TESTING & COUNSELLING CLINIC (ATS) BY JULIE MATTHEWS & PHIL LOH
As a pioneer in providing anonymous HIV testing services, we believe in creating an environment where individuals can get tested based on informed personal choice. This affordable and accessible service is delivered by our empathic, non-judgemental and trained volunteers. These volunteers offer information and support to clients before and after their test, whatever the outcome. The Anonymous HIV Testing and Counselling clinic is managed by our Clinic Managers, Julie Matthews and Phil Loh, who play active roles in the operating of the clinic and looking after the needs of both clients and our volunteers. Anwar Hashim has left the ATS team to concentrate on the AMPUH programme and the setting up of the Mobile Anonymous HIV Testing and Counselling Service. ATS Operations The number of people who came for HIV testing in 2011 has increased from 5,716 in 2010 to 6,041 in 2011. Out of the total 6,041 clients in 2011, there were 145 new HIV positive cases (2.4% of the tested population). This is a marked increase when compared to 1.7% in 2010 and 1.4% in 2009.
en c ou ra ging pro g r a mme s su cce s s ful.
a nd ha ve
the be e n
Service Satisfaction Index In order to better understand our clients and to continue improving the services we provide, a customer care survey was conducted throughout the year to evaluate ATS services and gather feedback from our clients.
Other Collaborations
A new Client Feedback Form was formulated, including a separate one for our female clients, so as to better understand and gather information from the female perspective. This allowed us to improve the clinic and to be more accessible for women.
ATS worked closely with various other AfA programmes to encourage voluntary testing. Free testing coupons were distributed during outreach and events to encourage recipients to come forward for HIV testing at the ATS. The take up rate was
We received much positive feedback and most clients were very satisfied with ATS services. Many clients expressed their appreciation to our ATS volunteers and they were generous with their compliments, even extending them to individual volunteers.
The majority of these positive clients were given both emotional and practical support after getting their results, including a medical subsidy towards their initial hospital visit.
6041 CLIENTS An increase in attendance at the clinic in year 2011
2.4% PREVALENCE RATE 145 testS at our clinic are HIV positive
Overall, 2010 was both a challenging and rewarding year for the ATS team and we achieved many of our objectives during the year.
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MOBILE TESTING & COUNSELLING SERVICE (MTS) BY ANWAR HASHIM
Action for AIDS aims to make anonymous HIV testing more accessible and convenient to the members of the public to increase the number of voluntary testing in the Singapore by providing anonymous HIV testing on wheels. Advancing the Pioneer Action for AIDS launched the first Mobile Anonymous HIV Testing and Counseling Service in Singapore on 7 Dec 2011. The project is our latest effort to increase the accessibility to anonymous HIV testing. This community project is sponsored by MAC AIDS Fund and Support by Ministry of Health and DSC Clinic. It is important for individuals who are sexually active to go for testing regularly. The convenience of MTS will continue to encourage the adoption of route HIV testing and to make it a part of sexual responsibility. 1.
The MTS service will be offered at variety of locations by collaborating with agencies, community based groups and companies as well as to complement AfA’s outreach programmes. Interested parties can contact AfA to make arrangement for the MTS service to be offered at their venues or events. In the month of December, the Mobile Testing Van has been deployed to 4 locations (inclusive of a community club and IBIS Hotel). It has been met with curiosity but has an overall positive response as the van manage to test a total of 84 people. 2.
1 | The mobile testing van in action. 2 | Our president, Professor Roy Chan (left) and MTS manager, Anwar Hashim officiating the launch of the service. 7 Dec 2011
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1st HIV TESTING SERVICE ON WHEELS
84 CLIENTS In the first month of operation
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5 | Risk assessment survey.
6 | Waiting area before pre-test counselling.
7 | Test strip being prepared. 2 | Our HIV testing ambassador Raymond Chen chatting with senior counsellor David Hester.
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9 | Interior of MTS.
10 | MTS is proudly sponsored by MAC AIDS Fund.
11 | Client taking a test. 12 | MTS on its way to the heartlands.
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CARE & SUPPORT BACK TO BASICS Reaching out and providing services to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) is and still remains one of our main goals. The positive living centre, support groups and subsidies are all aimed towards addressing the enormous gaps in the services that are being rendered for PLWHAs and their care givers. The positive living centre allows all these services to come under a unified umbrella, improving the quality and capacity of the programmes and assistance we provide.
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FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BY NORANI OTHMAN
To lighten the burden of PLHIVs and their families, AfA has provided different financial assistance schemes to cater for different needs. Paddy Chew Patient Welfare Fund HIV+ Pregnant Mothers' Fund Care for Family Fund Prison Medication Fund AfA HIV Medical Management Subsidy Scheme Paddy Chew Patient Welfare Fund Paddy Chew Patient Welfare Fund provides financial subsidy to assist members in offsetting their anti-retroviral medication cost. Priorities are given to members who have contributed back to their community through their volunteering work. A portion of the fund is also allocated to members who are truly in need of assistance to pay for their medication. A total of $80,000 was dispersed in 2011 under this scheme. Prison Medication Fund Action for AIDS recognize that drug adherence and access to medication are crucial factor in the better management of the infection, especially in the prison. The organization has been tasked to administer this privately funded programme to provide the life saving medication to the inmates. This scheme supported the continual medication for 14 inmates.
HIV+ Pregnant Mothers' Fund This fund is reserved for HIV+ mothers who are pregnant and would required anti-retroviral medication to minimize or even prevent mother - to - child transmission.
$130,000
We are delighted to be part of the process bringing to the world a HIV- child born to a HIV+ mother in 2011.
AfA HIV Medical Management Subsidy Scheme
Care for Family Fund This fund initiated to provide financial support to the affected families of PLHIVs. This fund can be tapped on through recommendation from social workers.It assists families of PLHIVs whose finance have been severely impacted by loss of income. This fund can be used to cover short term family expenses like children’s school and transport fees, household expenditure etc. In 2011, a total of 19 families have applied for the fund and all of them have received this financial assistance to ease their financial difficulties.
SUBSIDIES DISBURSED Approximate amount required every year.
Action for AIDS recognized the importance of early treatment and the impact on mortality of the newly diagnosed PLHIV. A fund is set up to encourage and support newly diagnosed HIV+ person to seek immediate treatment. This subsidy will help cover a major portion of the laboratory tests and consultation charges on the first visit. HIV+ Singaporeans/Permanent Residents newly diagnosed at Action for AIDS’s Anonymous Test Site will be able to access this subsidy. In 2011, we managed to encourage 50 number of newly diagnosed person to seek treatment at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. $8,949 worth of subsidy has been disbursed to support this scheme.
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POSITIVE LIVING CENTRE (PLC) BY NORANI OTHMAN
The Positive Living Centre is a vibrant safe space for Persons living with HIV to congregate, be relaxed without being judged, and to learn to live positive lives. The centre hopes to achieve this by providing information, training and counselling, and organising support group activities and empowerment workshops. The centre serves as a haven for PLHIVs to receive both emotional and physical support. The ultimate aim is to enhance the health and well-being of HIV positive people. This year, PLC has registered growth on many fronts, especially regarding services provided to members. PLC also had a face-lift resulting in better ambiance and a cosier environment for members. A total of 534 members visited PLC and engaged its services in 2011.
Services at the Centre More support groups have been organised to cater to the increasing number of members who require peer-to-peer support. Currently, we have 5 support groups with a total of 75 active members. These support groups are: - LGO: Life Goes On (Heterosexual Males) - M+: Muslim+ - CG : Club Genesis (Men who have Sex with Men) - Unity (Positive Women) - PH Group PLC has extending its services to include face-to-face counselling, couple counselling and family counselling. A total of 90 counselling sessions were provided to 205 members. Better communication channels have been established to encourage engagement of members through regular EDMs and notice boards.
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Also, by recognising that costs of medication can be a cause of worry to our clients, PLC negotiated for preferential prices to help ease their burden.
A cosier environment and better communication channels allows members to be reached and better serviced.
Greater Involvement of PLHIVs (GIPA) It is heartening to see PLC members coming together to contribute ideas towards the enhancement of services and programmes. To encourage greater involvement, priority to medical subsidy is given to members who contribute back to their community by participating or volunteering with our organisation. An active member would have clocked an average of 8 GIPA hours. The increasing numbers of members participating in the activities/events/workshops organised by PLC is an indication of their commitment in embracing the GIPA principles.
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Club Genesis 2011 was a year that Club Genesis (CG) re-organised its support network to diversiy its support program and at the same reinvo gorated its membership by reaching out to its pioneer members and mixing them with new ones that have just joined us 2011. To date we have about 120 members who took advatange of the diverse series of events that range from seminars and workshops on positive healthcare, how to take care our largest organ - the skin, movie nights to poolside soirees where we elected our new coordinators to ensure that the MSM Positive Group are well represented and led into 2012. The year also ended with a more inclusive note when CG worked with PLC to reach out and organize events with the other positive groups under PLC for its year end and Christmas event that allowed us to take stock of what are the needs of the members. This event was also the result of a membership survey in mid 2011 that indicated the maturity of the group to reach out to others within in the Singapore positive community to enhance the mutual web of support and care within the community. While there will always be a need to cater to the unique needs of MSM within CG, there is much strength to be had in numbers and sharing the limited resources when powering up the energy to Advocate the Mental, Physical and Social (AMPS) health of positive living that will be the 2012-13 strategy for CG!
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1 | The living room. 2 | Potted plants were brought in to make the place more cosy. 3 | The living room with a small selection of DVDs to keep the young ones entertained while their parents attend workshops. 4 | The counselling room. 5 | Counselling room before the renovation. 6 | Living room before the renovation.
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PROJECT HOPE BY PHIL LOH
Project HOPE is an HIV Orientation Programme for Positive People, it is provided to any individual who is newly diagnosed with HIV. We help them to acquire a basic knowledge of HIV and other aspects of living well with HIV. The programme encourages HIV+ individuals to understand and learn to accept their medical status. Also by empowering their self esteem we help them to lead more of a positive, productive and qualitative lifestyle. We inform about and encourage the practice of positive prevention, in order to reduce risks of exposure to other sexually transmitted diseases and opportunistic infections Services at the Centre Project HOPE was established in April 2009 under the auspices of Action for AIDS and with the support of the Health Promotion Board. The programme reaches out to all individuals, regardless of race, gender, age and sexual orientation, who have been diagnosed HIV+ at AfA’s Anonymous HIV Testing and Counselling Clinic or who are referred by other clinics and hospitals.
enabling us to reach out to a wider group of people living with HIV (PLHIV). This helped us to better utilise our resources. The programme was a great success with the help of the doctors, medical social workers, nutritionists, psychiatrists, counsellors and volunteers. Under capacity building programme, 3 of our members completed the Certificate in Para-Counselling at the Social Services Training Institute in July 2011.
The programme is conducted in both English and Mandarin, through either one-to-one or group counselling.
They went on to volunteer their services for various AfA activities and also assisted other Project Hope members.
In FY 2010/2011, Project HOPE reached out to some 150 newly diagnosed HIV+ individuals; we helped them to seek treatment and also empowered them to live their life to the full with HIV.
Project HOPE also extended its services by providing couselling services to PLHIV in need of special care and who were warded at the National University Hospital, Singapore General Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital. The project now provides couples counselling and will undertake home visits to needy PLHIV.
During the year, we collaborated with the Communicable Disease Centre (CDC) to run the HIV Orientation Programme together,
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150 NEWLY DIAGNOSED Received counselling & assistance through Project Hope
2011 was a very meaningful year for Project HOPE. Going forward, we will continue to play an active role within the positive community in order to provide the necessary assistance to all PLHIV who are in need.
BUDDIES PROGRAMME BY ALAN TAN
Volunteers in the Buddies Programme offer emotional and practical support to HIV-positive people and their loved ones through weekly visits to the ward, they also offer their friendship and companionship to this community. Listening Ear, Warming Touch The Buddies Programme continued its work in 2011, providing emotional and practical support to people living with HIV and AIDS (PWHAs) by maintaining a support network of volunteers with whom PWHAs and their loved ones are able to come together and share their experiences and feelings. Our work focused mainly on the weekly ward visits – an average of 4 to 5 volunteers attend each of the 2 hour sessions. Apart from providing a listening ear, the volunteers would bring along any special food requested by the patients and also provide massage therapy to those who required it.
In order to keep our programme going, we continued to recruit new Buddies who were suitable and who felt comfortable working closely with PWHAs. In 2011, 7 new Buddies were recruited. They successfully completed the compulsory annual Patient Care Centre Volunteer Training Programme, as organised by the Communicable Disease Centre.
14 BUDDIES Visit PWHAs in wards & nursing homes providing a listening ear & comfort.
Three volunteers also rejoined the programme after being inactive for more than a year, due to work and personal commitments. Some 5 volunteers have left the programme and as of 31 Dec 2011, we have 14 Buddies.
Some of our more active members also took the time to visit PWHAs in the wards and nursing homes during the weekends.
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DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERING DETAILS If you would like to make a donation, please make your cheque out to: “ACTION FOR AIDS SINGAPORE”, and post it to: 35 KELANTAN LANE #02-01 SINGAPORE 208 652 All donations above $50 are tax deductible, so please include your: NRIC/FIN/RVB number, company or your full name.
Donate You may also donate online at http://www.afa.org.sg/donate scan the QR code to access the above address
Volunteer If you would like to volunteer please visit http://www.afa.org.sg/weneedyourhelp.php scan the QR code to access the above address
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PROTECT ADVOCATE PREVENT ANNUAL REPORT 2011