Stigma still plays a major role in the way Ugandans view HIV/AIDS. People are often not only scared to check their HIV status but would rather stay ignorant than know the truth. Being HIV/AIDS positive not only carries a negative taboo, but people are often stigmatized by the community when they are open about their positive status.
Our KNOW YOUR STATUS initiative we have teamed up with TASO Uganda to encourage the community to get regular checkups and get to know their status. By reaching out within the communities to try and tackle the negative view people associate with getting checkups and what it can mean for them and their future. Other key services that are key on our agenda to implement within the community include:
- Counseling for the women to tackle mental health awareness and to eradicate self-stigma due to the negativity associated with being a negative status.
- Knowledge awareness of the disease both withing the members and community to eradicate the buildup taboos about HIV/AIDS due to culture myths and ‘old wife’s tales.’
- Nutrition and Well Being – teaching the women how to better balance their diets and also the importance of Well Being maintenance and Mental Health and what affect this can have on their physical well-being and how they manage their health.
- Safe space – creating a safe space where the women and young girls can be open about any problems they might be facing, physically, mentally or any GBV (gender-based violence) at home which they might not be able to escape.
- Community interaction with Tukundane members to create a better working and living environment for all.
- Community knowledge on HIV/AIDS to eradicate stigma through dialogues and printed information.This initiative will be on going with the plan of expanding to create a widely based dialogue within the community. This will help fight stigma and build the relationship between Tukundane members and the community. Create a level of trust so that the members feel safe within their community to be able to live open without fear of stigma or retribution about their status.
Stigma still plays a major role in the way Ugandans view HIV/AIDS. People are often not only scared to check their HIV status but would rather stay ignorant than know the truth. Being HIV/AIDS positive not only carries a negative taboo, but people are often stigmatized by the community when they are open about their positive status.
Our KNOW YOUR STATUS initiative we have teamed up with TASO Uganda to encourage the community to get regular checkups and get to know their status. By reaching out within the communities to try and tackle the negative view people associate with getting checkups and what it can mean for them and their future. Other key services that are key on our agenda to implement within the community include:
- Counseling for the women to tackle mental health awareness and to eradicate self-stigma due to the negativity associated with being a negative status.
- Knowledge awareness of the disease both withing the members and community to eradicate the buildup taboos about HIV/AIDS due to culture myths and ‘old wife’s tales.’
- Nutrition and Well Being – teaching the women how to better balance their diets and also the importance of Well Being maintenance and Mental Health and what affect this can have on their physical well-being and how they manage their health.
- Safe space – creating a safe space where the women and young girls can be open about any problems they might be facing, physically, mentally or any GBV (gender-based violence) at home which they might not be able to escape.
- Community interaction with Tukundane members to create a better working and living environment for all.
- Community knowledge on HIV/AIDS to eradicate stigma through dialogues and printed information.This initiative will be on going with the plan of expanding to create a widely based dialogue within the community. This will help fight stigma and build the relationship between Tukundane members and the community. Create a level of trust so that the members feel safe within their community to be able to live open without fear of stigma or retribution about their status.