The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund: Stories

PWRDF partner celebrates theme of Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week November 7, 2007

PWRDF

The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) partner, 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations, joins the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network (CAAN) in announcing the theme of Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week (AAAW) Your Voice has Power, which will take place December 1-5.

"We need your voice and especially our Leaders to speak loud and clear about HIV and AIDS," says Kevin Barlow, Executive Director of the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network. "Together, we can turn this epidemic around and together, we can make a difference for those now living with HIV or AIDS".

Beginning on World AIDS Day (December 1st) and extending to December 5th the Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week reminds individuals, communities and leaders that HIV and AIDS does not discriminate but it affects everyone. To support the campaing and engage Canadians, CAAN has launched a website: www.caan.ca/aaaw

2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations is a non-profit social services organization whose membership consist of Indigenous gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in Toronto. It focuses on HIV and AIDS education, prevention and provides support and counselling, for 2-spirited people and others living and affected by HIV and AIDS.

HIV and AIDS is a complex health issue, one that presents unique challenges to Indigenous people and the communities — to admit the relevance of HIV and AIDS personally or in the context of Indigenous communities is also challenging. HIV is often accompanied by other underlying and contributing health and social factors.

The issue of HIV and AIDS, in the context of Indigenous realities will require ongoing reinforcement of essential prevention, diagnosis, care and support messaging.

What is the Vision of this year's campaign?

The goal of the 2007 AAAW campaign is to reinforce the relevance of and need for increased knowledge, awareness and engagement around HIV and AIDS and its related issues.

Common (mis)perceptions of HIV and AIDS reinforce indifference and consequently create environments that are less conducive to prevention, diagnosis and care.

To address these barriers and (mis)perceptions, it is imperative that Indigenous leadership take action. Teachers and parents are also important in initiating meaningful prevention dialogue with and among Indigenous youth. Youth themselves are critical to finding solutions and approaches that support long term prevention education and the relevance of early diagnosis.

This year CAAN has targeted messaging focused on Indigenous People living with HIV and AIDS, Indigenous  Youth, Indigenous Women, Indigenous Community Leadership, and Testing.

More Information

Please note:
While the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network is currently undergoing fund raising initiatives to support an Aboriginal Women's Gathering that will benefit Aboriginal women living with HIV/AIDS in Canada, CAAN does not receive funds directly from the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund.  PWRDF's partner organization is the 2-Spirited Peoples of the 1st Nation.

Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network
If you are interested in the fund raising initiatives of the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network please contact:
Colleen Patterson,
Senior Communications Officer
1-866-286-2226 ext. 115
E- mail colleenp[at]caan.ca
Website www.caan.ca/aaaw/

2-Spirited Peoples
To learn more about Two-Spirited Peoples of the 1st Nation contact:
Art Zoccole, Executive Director
416-944-9300 ext. 222
Website www.2spirits.com

PWRDF
To find out more about the work of the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund Canadian Development Program please contact: 
Jose Zarate
Canadian Development Program Coordinator: Indigenous Communities
416-924-9199 ext. 240
jzarate@pwrdf.org 

Website www.pwrdf.org
More about the PWRDF Canadian Development Program
More PWRDF Stories about Indigenous People