INDIA

Population:	1,027,015,247
Rural population (as % of total population):	75
Life expectancy (years):	63
Gross national income per capita (£):	241
Prevalence of HIV, total (% of population ages 15-49):	0.9
Prevalence of HIV, female (% of population ages 15-49):	0.7
Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births):	63

Statistics from: http://devdata.worldbank.org/data-query/

HIV and AIDS are spreading throughout India, devastating communities and particularly affecting youth. The rapid spread of AIDS in South Asia is contributed to by cultural norms that reinforce gender inequities and youth disempowerment, compounded in impoverished rural areas by a lack of access to education and health services. There are 5.1 million people infected with HIV in India. The state of Tamil Nadu has the highest rate of HIV infections in the country and this is where SPW concentrates its work.

The Response:

• SPW India Peer Educators deliver a holistic intervention: Working with in and out-of-school youth they tackle the root causes of the epidemic, addressing issues such as personal sanitation, caste discrimination, retention of girls in school, nutrition and school learning environments as part of their broader HIV prevention efforts.

Key Achievements:

• Following two years of high impact programmes in Vellore District, SPW has been invited to expand into neighbouring Kanchipuram District.
• At the end of 2004, SPW India joined in the international response to the Tsunami, using its local knowledge and expertise to help young people and families in the village of Paramankeni Kuppam rebuild their lives and look to the future with hope.

Case Study: World AIDS Day Festivities

All SPW programmes seek to engage communities, particularly young people, in communal health-related activities. On World AIDS Day, SPW India Peer Educators organised marches, rallies and street dramas, using Indian folk music, dance and drama to build awareness of HIV and AIDS, and demonstrate the leadership ability of young people. In K.V.Kuppam Block, more than 1200 students walked through 5 villages en route to a community hall where they held a music, elocution and skit competition on the theme of 'HIV and AIDS – Prevention and Care'. More than 10,000 people participated in the day’s events, which were reported in the National Newspaper The Hindu.

"It has been a great pleasure to have the SPW volunteers among us. Their contribution far exceeds any accounting of rupees".

Coordinator of VOYCE, Indian NGO

Partner Organisations

SPW India is pleased to work with:

• Christian Medical College (CHAD and RHUSA)
• IndiaCLEN