DUSHANBE, December 1, 2009, Asia-Plus — An AIDS-awareness informational campaign, organized by the AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW) in Tajikistan under the motto “Understanding Gives Hope” on occasion of World AIDS Day, has targeted some 500,000 people across country, Ms. Saodat Oripova, representative of AFEW in Tajikistan, told Asia-Plus Tuesday afternoon.
According to her, a total cost of the campaign is some 17,000 U.S. dollars.
In Dushanbe, volunteer have distributed leaflets, pens, posters, calendars, T-shirts and caps featuring AIDS awareness symbol (red ribbon).
In the Khatlon province, AFEW has supported ADIS-awareness events organized by local public associations Fidokor and Sudmand in close cooperation with regional and inter-region AIDS centers.
In the northern Sughd province, the AIDS Foundation East-West has supported sanitary bulletin and drawing contests as well as AIDS-awareness quizzes, organized by the Sughd AIDS Center, through distribution of informational materials.
In Gorno Badakhshan, AFEW plans to support an initiative of GBAO’s Coordination Council to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and Regional AIDS Center to print an edition of the regional newspaper
Badakhshon
, totaling 2,000 copies, dedicated to World AIDS Day, Oripova said.
It is to be noted that all events, supported by AFEW in Tajikistan, are conducted under financial support of the European Union, the Netherlands MFA, and Oxfam/Novib.
AIDS Foundation East-West (AFEW) is a Dutch, non-governmental, humanitarian, public health organization working in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) to reduce the impact of HIV and AIDS using innovative and proactive approaches and by actively seeking international and regional exchanges. Together with and for people living with HIV and affected communities, as well as non-governmental and governmental partners, AFEW conducts and supports programs aimed at the prevention of HIV; universal access to treatment, care and support; and advocacy on the most pressing issues to alleviate the burden of the epidemic in the EECA region.
