HIV Outreach/Education

To prevent the spread of HIV it is crucial that people are informed about how to protect themselves, and others, from HIV risk. Yayasan Bali Peduli aims to raise awareness about HIV prevention, testing and treatment in order to reduce the spread of HIV in Bali. To do this we run the following outreach and education programs with the Balinese community.

HIV Outreach

The Bali Peduli Outreach programs are focused on high-risk populations in Kuta and Gianyar.

The Outreach team provides one-to-one HIV education in target areas.

  • The Kuta Outreach program focuses on MSM (Men who have Sex with Men) to distribute comprehensive information about HIV and STI and also about the free testing services of Bali Peduli clinic at Bali Medika. The team distributes condoms/lube, and information about safe sex practices. In 2013, 598 MSM, transvestites/transgenders, women and men were reached one-to-one by the Bali Peduli Kuta Outreach team.
  • The Gianyar Outreach program sends staff to meet with female sex workers, men who have sex with men, and pregnant women, to encourage early testing, and provide information about safe sex, and our HIV Klinik Anggrek based at Puskesmas II Ubud/Sayan which provides free HIV/STI testing and treatment. In 2013 the Gianyar Outreach team met with 55 MSM and 549 women and youth to provide HIV/STI and safe sex information, including condoms.

 

HIV Education

The Bali Peduli HIV Education programs in Gianyar are presented at high schools, youth groups, and banjars including PKK (women’s groups). There is no sex education in the school system so for youth the sessions incorporate an introduction to sex education in addition to HIV/STI information.

The presentations to the village women groups (PKK) educate women for their own health, their children’s, and awareness within their village as on Bali women have the role to deal with family matters. A particular emphasis is for pregnant women.

Feedback indicates that participants find the sessions very informative and local communities are now contacting Bali Peduli requesting educations session and more HIV information. Pregnant women are a focus in order to encourage testing so that if positive immediate ART  (Anti-Retro-Viral treatment) can begin which can prevent the baby from being born HIV+.

Attendees are told about Bali Peduli’s Klinik Anggrek at Puskesmas II Ubud/Sayan which provides free HIV/STI testing and treatment. The Puskesmas also has a good midwife program for pregnant women. To date over 1400 women and youth have attended the Bali Peduli HIV Education sessions in the Gianyar area.

The Bali Peduli team also attends events and performances to provide education about HIV. In 2013 Bali Peduli had booths at Earth Day, Bali Spirit Festival, and Betel Nut (Ubud) film screenings.

The Gianyar regency is fourth in the number of new HIV+ cases. It is a fast developing area of Bali north of the urban area of Denpasar and the tourist beaches of Kuta. It includes Ubud, the popular cultural town and, Gianyar, the main city. There have been very few programs for HIV education and services in the Gianyar area.

Bali Peduli has received funding from the Mel Wolf Foundation (US) to do education programs specifically for women and youth. In July 2013 Bali Peduli opened its second clinic to serve the Gianyar area at Puskesmas II Ubud Sayan. Klinik Anggrek provides the same model and free services as the Bali Peduli clinic at Bali Medika (Kuta). The Bali Peduli Outreach & Education programs are funded by the MEL WOLF FOUNDATION and other private donors. For more information about or interesting have a Bali Peduli HIV program in your banjar, school, etc. contact: yunita@balipeduli.org       Phone: +62 361 974168