Hey Guys....

Here is a Wake Up Pune Site....where you can discuss and share new ideas! We'd love to hear from you....and please comment on files we upload so we can gain a better idea as to what works and what doesn't. After all you guys are the best judges!

Thanks

The Wake Up Pune Team!

Help us make Pune an 'HIV Positive' City....

• Positive about Education - educating ourselves and others about HIV and AIDS
• Positive about Awareness - raising awareness in our wider community
• Positive about Support – reaching out to people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS

Through ‘Pune: An HIV Positive City’, Wake Up Pune aims to challenge the stigma and discrimination so often faced by people living with HIV (PLHIV).

In the coming weeks and months, volunteers wearing ‘HIV POSITIVE’ T-shirts will be a common sight in the city. By wearing these T-shirts, volunteers identify themselves as part of the solution in tackling stigma surrounding HIV, rather than being part of the problem. T-shirts will be made freely available to people who want to take the lead in educating society about HIV and AIDS.

The HIV Positive City initiative has several key aims:

1) Raise awareness about HIV through dialogue between T-shirt wearers and those around them. We have found that people will ask questions when confronted with a clear statement such as this one. The T-shirt will prompt our friends, family and even strangers to ask questions about HIV.

2) Reduce stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV; because of stigma and discrimination, people are afraid to even talk about HIV, let alone find out the information they need to protect themselves. The more people that are positive about Education, Awareness and Support, the better.

3) Show solidarity with PLHIV; by wearing the T-shirt we can show tolerance and understanding for PLHIV. This encourages more people to come forward for testing and treatment services.

4) Challenge stereotypes about PLHIV; particularly that all PLHIV look sick or are dying. In reality, a person living with HIV can look and feel as healthy as anybody else, as long as they learn to manage their infection correctly.