Regions

Tara Made Her
Aware About AIDS
A Report of the AIDS Awareness Camp organized by Tara at Nai Seemapuri,
Delhi on December 1, World AIDS Day 2004

Seema aged 20, is a rag picker, living in the Nai semapuri area of New Delhi. Studied up to 3rd standard, she manages to read and write her name. But she did not know the names of either the Prime Minister or the President of India. But, now, she is conscious of a dreadful disease, which is going to badly affect the lives of ¼ of the women folk of developing world in the years to come. And, she desires to become fully literate to educate her fellow women about the threat of AIDS. She is one among nearly 150 women participated in the AIDS awareness camp organized at Nai Seemapuri by Tara, New Delhi on the World AIDS Day (December 1st). About five hundred people including women and students participated in the camp.
The camp was organized in association with Begum Shilp Sewa Samiti, a women's self help group working under Tara, which involved in the manufacturing of handicrafts. It was for the first time that such a camp was organized in the area. The representatives of Fair Trade Forum-India (FTF-I) too participated in the awareness generation session conducted as part of the camp. The camp was started with the visit to nearly 200 huts in the slum, of which 90% of the residents are rag pickers. Distributing handbills and pamphlets, briefing papers about AIDS and the ways to resist it, the volunteers and representatives of Tara and FTF-I upraised the people about the importance of the Day and the awareness camp.
Shri. Vir Singh Dhigaan, MLA, Seemapuri, the chief guest of the function, lauded the organizers for selecting Seemapuri as the location for the camp, in which the population includes truck drivers, illiterate women and youth who are some of most vulnerable sections to the epidemic of AIDS.
Prof. Shyam S. Sharma, President, FTF-I appraised the audience about the socio-economic dilemma created by AIDS in a number of African as well as Asian countries. Though the remedy for AIDS is yet to be invented, the “human determination, if it goes in the right direction with collective effort, can definitely resist and overcome the threat of AIDS too”, Prof. Shrama said.
Ms. Kiranvati Tak, member of Municipal Corporation of Delhi from Ward No. 84-Seemapuri, was also present in the occasion.
Ms. Moon Sharma, President, Tara Projects Association lead the Tara team who accomplished the camp. Earlier, Mr. O. P. Yadav, facilitator of the camp, delivered the introductory address. He stressed the need to impart concerted efforts to counter the epidemic of AIDS. While referring to the initiative being taken up by organizations like Tara and the cooperation extended by Fair Trade Forum-India at one end and Begum Shilp Sewa Samiti, grass root-level producer group at the other end, he sought for more such joint initiatives to counter the epidemic of AIDS.
Natya Kala Parishad, New Delhi, staged a Nukkar Natak, creating the awareness about AIDS. The play was written and presented in a way to clear the misconceptions about AIDS in the society. And, it solicited the need to build up resistance against AIDS at every possible level.
Ms. Rekha Dutt, Head, Training Orientation Research Centre (TORC/ STA-AIDS Programme) elaborated about the possible ways to detect and counter AIDS effectively. Ms. Anita Tommar, PRO, Health is Wealth Foundation and Dr. Renu, Safdarjung Hospital were also present to provide information about the measures to tackle AIDS to those in need. A number of residents in the locality, including women availed the services of the experts in the one-to-one consultation sessions.
The children from Tara Bal Vikas Kendra, New Delhi presented a short play on the threat of AIDS before the audience including children and young citizens. Ms. Khuresha Begum, Coordinator of Begum Shilp Sewa Samiti and Mr. Munnalal Chawhan lead the artisans who helped to organize the camp.
Ms. Prama Nanda, Project Coordinator, FTF-I extended vote of thanks. The entire members National Secretariat of FTF-I participated in the camp actively.