By Nadia Shabir- PRCS Volunteer
Due to mitigating circumstances beyond PRCS’s control, world HIV/AIDS day was celebrated on 19th January 2011 at NTC arena in Islamabad.
Picturesque and awe-inspiring Islamabad was the perfect place for such an event. The city lent a genteel but convivial and enthusiastic atmosphere to all the delegates and guests. Attended by local dignitaries and prolific figures of local society, it received coverage and enthusiastic response from all the attendees.
HIV is a retrovirus and is the cause of AIDS. In Pakistan, illness and death from HIV/AIDS is a common phenomenon. This endemic does not affect just an individual but also families and damages the social fabric of society. World HIV/AIDS day also shows effected people how general masses in our society are taking steps towards eradicating negative stigma attached to this endemic.
The organisers successfully steered the proceedings to dispel negative myths about the HIV/AIDS endemic, and create an atmosphere of social learning. The event also aimed to address several issues that concern the acknowledgment of HIV/AIDS related illnesses in our society and building strategies to address the impediments to building better understanding among the general consensus of society.
Indeed HIV/AIDS has many phases, many dimensions and many layers. It would be folly to so atomise and analyse this endemic as to end up looking at it through a microscope- seeing only a bigoted angle, hence resulting into reductionism. Force behind celebration of world HIV/AIDS day is to urge people with infection to have regular monitoring to determine when specific treatments like antiretroviral drugs are necessary. Treatment of HIV infection with a combination of antiviral drugs can slow the disease’s progress. Also a greater emphasis is placed on a need to dispel the myth that HIV is spread by everyday contact.
The highlight of the day was presentation of a Stage Play called ‘Kiran’- ray of light dealing with the effects on the life of a HIV positive persons and his family. It was a 3 act play touching upon the perception of a migrant worker. The obvious force of the play was to make something obligatory to deal with the stigma that is attached to HIV/AIDS. Audiences were quite dazed by the end of the play. Stage artists succeeded in securing the attention of the audience. I was greatly taken with the first act of play, portraying humorous Mr. Police man, even though it was scarcely the kind of entertainment I was used to. Anybody might have gone through the same movements and spoken the same words, but there were many nuances in every move, gesture and expression which gave the act a gloriously comic effect. There was a wild inconsequence about the whole act which I found quite hilarious and certainly the audience enjoyed it too, applauding rapturously as the team stood to take their bows. When a roar of mirth went up in the second half of play, we knew without a doubt it was a success in its outreach to larger audience. For me the play presented a message of a need for humility and conscious awareness.
Attendees were welcomed to Information packs, containing descriptive information on HIV/AIDS. Extensive literature at PRCS stands offered information on how HIV is transmitted in our body and how its spread.
Volunteering with PRCS
The event was further made successful with the joint efforts of PRCS staff and its force of volunteers. The concept of voluntary work is changing rapidly in our society. In recent years, schemes such as Millennium Volunteers have paved a way for more young people to volunteer their time and services to greater causes.
At PRCS volunteering has now evolved into a vocation where volunteers can realize their ambitions, make a significant contribution to the community and develop skills. Founded on 22nd December 1947 by the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah, PRCS is a towering humanitarian organization in Pakistan; its influence is enormous with representative bodies acting all across the country. The International committee of Red Cross works with Pakistan Red Crescent Society to serve our society in times of need and grave afflictions. Fundamental principles of ICRC and PRCS movement are: Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity and Universality.
With over 150,000 volunteers nationwide, there is an increased level of interest in volunteering among young people at all levels of PRCS society. PRCS volunteers play an important role in our society, they are active in restoring and maintaining the cohesive relations among different groups, developing community network and creating awareness of democratic, social and political issues.
At PRCS volunteering has been described as a rewarding activity where the rewards gained by giving your time are greater than your contribution. Volunteers suggested that in order to maximize the benefits of volunteering, it was necessary to target your time and volunteer effort toward an area of interest. During informal conversation, all volunteers described their experience as extremely positive one that involved intrinsic and extrinsic rewards.
I learnt that young people and volunteers derive tangible satisfaction from their work and that volunteering is about so much more than helping people in need. Instead, it has paved a way for social interaction, cultural learning, building communities, global exchange, and more. During the event I discovered that given the opportunity, information about what is out there, volunteering can be the key to changing one’s life and breaking into new areas.
At PRCS one of the great things about volunteering is the flexibility it allows. A young student, worker can decide how much time they can give and when they would like to do it. Whatever the commitments, people should be able to find something that suites their tough schedule. In communities where the culture of volunteering is not omnipresent, advertisement and campaigns have been designed by PRCS staff to directly try to enhance the image of volunteering through promoting the benefits to the individuals and by raising the profile of the cause.
There is little doubt that PRCS can lead change and have the ability to influence greater outcomes. Indeed, PRCS staff and volunteers are transformational change makers as they work together in a manner that authorities have been unable to. They have demonstrated the skills to engage positively and empathetically with the community to learn understand and act upon issues of concern. It was encouraging to see different people taking a long term view in building partnership and relationships by making others feel valued.
The event ended on positive note with PRCS chair person Neelofar Bakhtiar urging society not to employ tunnel vision when dealing with effected HIV/AIDS patients. The consequences of such inequitable thinking are disastrous: disintegration of person and society, as one lives in one dimension alone, and in complete isolation leading to antagonism and seclusiveness
To be a part of this network, visit PRCS website at www.prcs.org.pk
