Action Archives - India HIV/AIDS Alliance

Care and Support reloaded

For all of us involved in the fight against the HIV epidemic for the last 15 years and more, it’s been amazing to have witnessed some outstanding achievements. Globally the morbidity and mortality due to AIDS has seen a significant decline, and th

Building on our values: A quiet accountant

A quiet accountant in an organization that deals with more than 500 partners, more than 80 staff members, more than five government departments and more than five donors, is easy to be forgotten. That is what happened to Dhiraj in Alliance India.

World Health Day and Depression: Let’s talk

Deepak (name changed) found out about his HIV infection at a blood donation camp. It devastated him! Not yet out of his post graduate college, he did not have the courage to share the news with his parents, skipped lecturers at college and locked h

Dream Work through Team Work : Inclusive Alliance

Coming Together Is A Beginning; Keeping Together Is Progress; Working Together Is Success.” – Henry Ford I am but an ordinary man with ordinary issues. These issues range from career growth to personal commitments. Running around trying to

Call to action on the Transgender Day of Visibility

On 17/2/2017, I felt severe pain in my shoulder and decided to visit a hospital. On reaching there, I proceeded to the OPD (Out Patient Department) registration desk. The female staff member, present on the desk, asked me for my name and age for re

eMpower: Technology amplifies our power

The information technology and mobile revolution has taken the world by a storm; it has made our lives easier, access to information better and organize our data better to make it more viable. Record-keeping and documentation has become so organize

Her long road to safety

Her face bears the gruesome scars of countless beatings, yet she stands strong and says, “Ab main meri Jeevan ke liye ek nayi kahani likhoongi” (Now, I will write a new story of my life) — Vanita Vanita, a 38 year woman, along with her two

Yes! I am a Mentor! – Shantanu’s story of getting a PAN card

“Mujhe bahut achcha lag raha hai ki jo kuch maine seekha hai us jaankari ko aaj mai doosre logon tak pahunchane mei saksham hu. Nirantar ki madad se aaj mere paas apna ‘Pan Card’ bhi hai lekin is se jyada mere aatam-vishwas badha hai”. (I feel

Data Analysis: More than numbers

Every number has a story to tell. India HIV/AIDS Alliance follows a robust strategic information system built into its programs, translating the data to take informed decisions and improving the program helping it move closers to achieving its obje

Violence against sex workers, a violation of their rights

Mainstream dialogues on GBV in India also ignores a significant and vulnerable population of women – female sex workers (FSW). Sex workers are either viewed as women “in need of rescue and rehabilitation” or as “criminals” as the laws around s

Samarth: From community involvement to community ownership!

India HIV/AIDS Alliance initiated the program, Samarth (meaning, empowered), in June 2016, based on the principle of establishing ‘test-treat-adhere-prevent’ cascade for men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender (TG) population in India. Sa

Shatter the Silence

Rapes and physical assaults faced by transgenders and hijras are more common than one would like to admit, especially in a country like India wherein patriarchal norms and machismo idea of manhood is deep rooted within our very culture. Absence of

Successful sensitisation of Health Care Providers

The meeting hall was occupied by men and women in white clothes, be it sarees, trousers or shirts. Even the shoes and sandals were in the same colour! Aprons in white were the standard attire, signifying that the main participants were para-medical

Shakti to the girl child this Vijiya Dushami

Akshara (name changed to maintain confidentiality) is an eight year old girl living with HIV. She lost her parents to AIDS some years back, and started living with her brother and sister in their paternal uncle’s house. Her brother, who was younge

Unfinished Business: Transgender Empowerment in India

The recent National Hijra Habba – our 4th – was an enormous success! It was organized as a part of the Amplify Change-funded Wajood project that works in five Indian states to improve sexual health of transgenders and mitigate violence and discri

Mentorship for Improved HIV Prevention in Key Populations

Supported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), India HIV/AIDS Alliance’s Nirantar programme complements the existing national HIV program in helping to ensure quality prevention services in three target states: Chhattisgarh,

Renewing Abhaya’s commitment to women’s health

A woman’s lifetime is a progression from puberty, menstruation, and possibilities of pregnancy to menopause, with a wide range of health issues in-between. India HIV/AIDS Alliance’s Abhaya project, as supported by MAC AIDS Fund, works with female

Wajood: My Strength Is My Identity

Mita, a transgender from Karnataka, was admitted in a local hospital in Raichur as she was suffering from appendicitis-related pain. However, she was denied treatment, because she was transgender and allegedly in sex work. Humiliated and horrified,

United Nations, Divided on Drugs

Vienna hosted the 59th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), a high-level commission convened by the UN Office of Drug Control (UNODC) to discuss drug policy reform. Over ten intense days, country delegations, experts and community

A Day to Remember

On my recent visit to Alliance India, two of my colleagues, Abhina and Mona, kindly took time out of their busy schedules to introduce me to two community-based organizations (CBOs) – Delhi Network of People Living with HIV (DNP+), which is implem

A Tribute to Ngairangbam Ratan Singh: Leader, Teacher and Friend

For could the grave his soul comprise, Earth would be richer than the skies. –John Donne (1572-1631 ) We are moved and honoured to write in tribute to Ngairangbam Ratankumar Singh, who was and will always be a leader, teacher and friend to us

Beautiful like Diamonds in the Sky

“Congratulations, it’s a boy!” The room erupts with laughter and applause. The family hug each other and start planning a party for the entire village. The father beams in the knowledge that he has the respect of society, and the mother looks on

Positive Power!

On the occasion of World AIDS Day 2015, I could not help but ponder on what the day means to me and so many others like me who are living with HIV. This was on my mind as I helped my organization, India HIV/AIDS Alliance, prepare for Positive Power

Harm Reduction Works: Putting People First

One of my friends in Manipur recently ventilated his feelings that his ethnic group is being killed by drugs, insurgents, regular clashes and low fertility rate. Drugs, however, were the first and foremost reason. In India, National AIDS Control Or

Half the Earth

As I concluded my recent technical support visits and returned to Delhi, I was filled with many thoughts and new learning. This happens every time we visit the community and interact with the women in sex work we reach through Abhaya. It is remark

Harm Reduction: The Lives It Saves

India faces one of the largest HIV epidemics in the world. While sexual transmission remains the primary mode of HIV transmission in the country, injection drug users are also disproportionately affected. People who inject drugs (PWID) are at high

Better Health for HIV+ Adolescents: Join our Global Giving Campaign!

The lives of Dharani, 14, and Nagadevi, 16, present a stark contrast. Both girls live in Andhra Pradesh and are affected by HIV, but Dharani is in school while Nagadevi is a new mother living with HIV. Dharani knows that her mother is HIV-positive

The Fearless One

I met her in the secrecy of midnight I met her in broad daylight. I met her outside, I met her within. I met her everywhere. I saw her in her totality I saw her in me. Like a commodity in busy markets, She was invisible as she was on display. Her g

An HIV-free Future for Every Child

India celebrates Children’s Day every November 14th. It is a day dedicated to children in memory of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. To mark Children’s Day 2014, here is a glimpse of the work we do with HIV-positive mothers and t

Tough Nuts to Crack: Police Advocacy by Sex Workers

As in other parts of the country, sex workers are found across Andhra Pradesh, and effective HIV programming requires community mobilisation that is responsive to their lives on the ground. Through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Avahan

Speaking Out for Sexual Health of PLHIV and Key Populations

Gujarat is one of the four states where Alliance India’s European Union‐supported Koshish programme was implemented for the past three years. Our Koshish partners in Gujarat intensively engaged with communities of people living with HIV (PLHIV) a

Community Catalysts: Pehchan Counselors Transform Lives

Outreach workers and counselors in our Global Fund-supported Pehchan programme play an invaluable and often transformational role for the MSM, transgender and hijra community members they serve. Not only do they ensure that at-risk community memb

Stigma to Strength: A Widow’s Triumph

Lalmuni Devi needs no introduction in Sarenja village. Situated in western Bihar, Sarenja is poverty-stricken with hardly any means of livelihood and even fewer employment opportunities. In this rural underbelly of India, Lalmuni, once the struggli

Out of the Shadows: Women who Use Drugs in India

Women who use drugs are collectively failed by India’s HIV response! This systemic neglect involves government departments, civil society and the private sector. While government programs have done well to address issues of women’s empowerment an

The Avahan Decade

So much has been written about Avahan – by implementers, academics, and journalists – that to write more might be unnecessary. Many have reflected on the complexity of the programme and its ambition. What would it take to have an impact on the HI

United Against Homophobia: Bringing Pehchan’s Human Rights Model to Uganda

“It was my view that homosexuality should be punished harshly in order to defend our society from disorientation.” – Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda, while signing Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law on February 25, 2014. “While readi

Vihaan: A Ray of Hope in the Lives of PLHIV in India

“We are thankful to the government for providing free ART treatment. Without their support, we might not be alive today,” says Preeti with gratitude in her eyes. In her mid-thirties, Preeti is a mother of two from a backward district in Bihar. Sh

Marking a decade of free antiretroviral treatment (ART) in India

More than 300 stakeholders from government, affected communities, media, international agencies

Advocating for Stigma-free Healthcare for Female Sex Workers

While conducting community consultations in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, the Koshish programme team learned that female sex workers (FSWs) in the district faced numerous challenges in accessing healthcare services, including stigmatizi

By the Community, for the Community: India’s Own Curriculum for Vulnerable Sexual Minorities

Pehchan (which in Hindi means ‘identity’ or ‘recognition’) is one of the largest programme of its kind not just in India but in the world catering to the health and development needs of men who have sex with men, male-to-female transgender and

“Fearless”: Improving Sexual & Reproductive Health of Female Sex Workers

In India, as elsewhere, female sex workers (FSW) have considerable unmet sexual & reproductive health (SRH) needs due to their occupation and social marginalization. They shy away from accessing SRH services due to stigma and discrimination, ne

A Transgender’s Story: International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers 2013

Sheela (name changed) is in her late twenties. A transgender, she recounts feeling like a women from a very young age. “I soon gave up my boyish lifestyle and started living like a female,” she says. “This did not go well with my family, schoolm

Keeping Violence at Bay in Andhra Pradesh: International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers 2013

“I filed an application for a ration card in the mandal (block) administrative office. The clerk made me come to office 15 times, and every time he slept with me,” rues Meena (name changed), a sex worker from Andhra Pradesh. “Wherever we go –

The Pain of Being ‘the Other’: How Stigma Fuels HIV/AIDS among People Who Inject Drugs in India

Born in a poor family in a remote district of Haryana, Paul (name changed) learnt from childhood to be by himself. He was dragged to work at the age of 10. It was here, copying older boys, he got into the habit of smoking ganja (cannabis). Soon his

Realising ART Adherence among People Who Inject Drugs in India

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is strongly correlated with HIV viral suppression, reduced rates of resistance, an increase in survival, and improved quality of life. Yet there are numerous cases in India of people living with HIV who exi

Fighting for the Right to Health for Women Living with HIV: A Success in Gujarat

Stigma and discrimination often prevent women living with HIV from accessing the essential health care services. (Photo by Prashant Panjiar for India HIV/AIDS Alliance) It was 5am. Anita (name changed) was about to give birth. The labour pain was l

Strengthening STI Services for Key Populations: Alliance India’s Mythri Mainstreaming Model

Providing STI/HIV services in rural areas with fewer and scattered key populations (female sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgenders) is a challenge for HIV prevention programmes in India. In such scenarios, project-supported static clin

Technical Support for a Stronger HIV Response in South Asia

A transgender from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, Padmini takes pride in her role as a Technical Support Provider (TSP) for Alliance India’s Koshish programme. Supported by European Commission, Koshish advocates for sexual and reproductive health and r

Community Collectivisation to Sustain HIV Prevention: Findings from Avahan in Andhra Pradesh

Community collectivisation empowers key populations such as female sex workers, men who sex with men and transgenders to voice their concerns and more confidently exercise their right to access healthcare and social welfare schemes. Photo by Peter

Transgenders Speak Out in Kerala, India: A Blog for International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia 2013

Shanno (name changed) is a 35-year-old transgender living in the Ernakulam district of the southern Indian state of Kerala. From childhood, Shanno bent towards feminine behaviour, a habit highly discouraged by her family and unacceptable in Kerala

Registering for a Healthy Life: Chanura Kol Helps Women Who Inject Drugs

Chochong was married at the young age of 15. Unable to cope with her husband’s abuse, she was tempted to try drugs. It was an easy way for her to overcome the suffering she endured every day. In 2010, Chochong met a field worker at a hotspot in Im

Leading by Example: People from Drug-using Backgrounds Strengthen Harm Reduction Interventions in India

Effective harm reduction programming requires the involvement of people who inject drugs (PWID). This approach helps ensure the accessibility and responsiveness of harm reduction services. With this in mind, Alliance India’s Hridaya programme has

New Advocacy to Address Cervical Cancer in Women Living with HIV

Alliance India’s Koshish programme advocates for policies and strategies on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and rights for people living with HIV (PLHIV) in India. The programme is implemented in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Gu

Detox and a New Life: Supporting Options for Women Who Inject Drugs in Manipur

Alliance India’s Chanura Kol project offers a range of harm reduction services for women who inject drugs to help them lead a better life. Detoxification is the most important option in this strategy.Since the inception of the project in 2010, 113

Confronting Quackery, Demanding Care: India’s Hijras Seek Access to Sex Reassignment Surgery Services

Malika (her name changed) remembers feeling helpless when a government hospital refused to treat her for a painful and dangerous infection that had resulted from her sex reassignment surgery (SRS). Malika is a hijra and her story is not unique. Man

Three Tiers of Oversight: Accountability, Ownership & Programme Governance under Pehchan

In order to ensure transparent and ethical programme governance, the Pehchan team has established a three-tier system guided by stakeholders across a wide-ranging spectrum, comprising representation from the MSM, transgender and hijra (MTH) communi

World TB Day 2013: Reducing tuberculosis burden through verbal screening of most-at-risk populations in Andhra Pradesh, India

India’s tuberculosis (TB) burden accounts for one-fifth of the global cases of the disease. In 2011, there were an estimated 3.1 million Indians affected by active TB. The problem is further compounded by HIV/AIDS, which is driving the resurg

Coffee, Noodles and Harm Reduction: A Menu to Reach Women Who Use Drugs in Manipur

In an effort to increase uptake of essential harm reduction services in Manipur, India, the Chanura Kol project did more than expand its service menu to reach women who inject drugs. Early on, the Chanura Kol team realised that many women who injec

Changing a Habit of Addiction in the Land of the Gods

Uttarakhand’s natural beauty has captivated tourists and residents alike for centuries. Wildlife and nature enthusiasts, pilgrims, and even those wanting an escape from city life have turned to the serenity of Uttarakhand’s lush green mountains,

Avahan in Andhra Pradesh: Expanded Access and Increased Impact

Avahan India AIDS Initiative is a focused prevention initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that works in six states of India to reduce HIV transmission and the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in vulnerabl

Uniting Against Discrimination: Women form advocacy groups to respond to cases of violence

Alliance India understands the power of community participation and engagement. In partnership with the Manipur-based local NGO, Social Awareness Service Organisation (SASO), the Chanura Kol project has established four Core Advocacy Groups to help

Advocating for Cervical Cancer Testing for Women Living With HIV

The Koshish Project recently held an advocacy meeting to discuss frequent non-compliance with the National AIDS Control Organisation’s (NACO) Revised Technical Guidelines on ‘Laboratory Monitoring for Patients at ART Centre/LAC/LAC Plus

It Takes Two: The role of sensitizing partners in the fight against drug-use driven HIV

The excruciating pain Sameera (name changed) experienced in her abdomen came out of the blue. Unable to afford the doctor’s fee to treat the ailment, she resorted to home remedies. She finally told her husband, Raymond (name changed), when her con

HIV positive women who inject drugs provided with emergency support

Over the last year, Chanura Kol has reached out to more than hundred women who inject drugs, many of whom are HIV positive and all of whom were in need of general and emergency care. Chanura Kol offered the women essential care and support servi

The power of youth participation: Secures essential vitamin supplements for unmarried, adolescent girls.

In Bahadur Block of Allahabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh, young people have ensured the access to iron and folic acid supplements for adolescent girls in their locality. Iron and folic acid deficiency is common in similar locations since residen

Silent No More: Empowering Young People to Speak Out about Sexual & Reproductive Health and Rights

When the Action Project first started working in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur, the shyness displayed by young people when speaking about subjects considered taboo—including their sexual & reproductive health and rights (SRHR)—were obvious to the

Helping Action Project Youth Raise Their Voices

All of us at the Action Project were thrilled at the idea of training select youth members, also known as our Key Correspondents, in the area of documentation and communication. We were all too aware that the voices of the youth in India have been

The Money Lender’s Daughter

Sheena (name changed) is 36 years old and resides in Imphal East which is located in the drug riddled state of Manipur in northeastern India. Sheena is the youngest of four siblings, all of whom have spent the last seven years watching their sister

Listening to the Needs of Female Injecting Drug Users: Housing for children enables more FIDUs to enrol in short stay home

When female injecting drug users (FIDUs) in Manipur cited a lack of accommodation for their children as being a major deterrent to enrolling in Chanura Kol’s detox programme, the Chanura Kol team responded quickly. Team members piloted a short-sta