Press Releases 2007

U.S. Embassy Gives Children First $1.8M To Fund HIV/AIDS Anti-Stigma Campaign in Prisons

James Heg, Charge` d’Affaires at the United States Embassy in Kingston, presented the 2007 Ambassador’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Program grant valued US$26,000 (J$1.8 million) to Children First Agency on Tuesday, November 27. The award will be used to fund an anti-stigma and discrimination project amongst inmates and staff at four of the island’s correctional institutions through training sessions, edutainment fairs as well as sensitization sessions with visitors to the institutions.

Upon presenting the award to Children First Agency Executive Director Claudette Richardson- Pious, Mr. Heg noted his satisfaction that the funds would be used to support activities to fight HIV/AIDS, reduce associated stigma and discrimination, and to increase public awareness of HIV/AIDS related issues.

Mrs. Richardson-Pious stated that the nine-month project will be implemented in two phases with the initial phase focusing on sensitization sessions with the inmates and officers, while the second phase will focus on sensitization with visitors and relatives as well as the implementation of action plans by the trained inmates with the support of officers and the Children First team. She further noted that voluntary confidential counseling and HIV testing will also be provided for inmates and visitors under the project.

Over the last five years, Children First has done several initiatives in the correctional institutions focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention and risk management using cultural approaches. Additionally, the agency has been integral in training inmates as peer educators within the institutions.

The Ambassador’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Program is one aspect of the United States’ commitment to combating HIV/AIDS in Jamaica and the Caribbean, consistent with the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.  The program is supported by the Caribbean Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Global AIDS program of its Centers for Disease Control